The Edge of Hell
by RainDancerXx
Summary: Ruvik will stop at nothing to return to reality, and has no qualms in eliminating any threats that stand in his way. Humans were mere bugs to be crushed; easily manipulated― but when he encounters an unforeseen and equally formidable opponent within his domain, things begin to change. Ruvik x OC. (Rating may increase for later chapters.)
1. Prologue

**|| The Edge of Hell ||**

_Prologue_

_"And this is the forbidden truth, the unspeakable taboo- that evil is not always repellent but frequently attractive; that it has the power to make of us not simply victims, as nature and accident do, but active accomplices."_ ― Joyce Carol Oates

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><p>The development of STEM had spanned throughout the course of several years, with a man bearing an unparalleled genius toiling away at it. The invention was ingenious, the concept unmatched.<p>

Ruvik, formerly known as Ruben Victoriano, was the mastermind behind the invention of STEM. The ability to link one's mind to another was an unprecedented advancement in the field of science, and Dr. Jimenez, a man who spent several years carefully monitoring Ruvik's intellectual ascension, eagerly welcomed the development that the marred man produced. And thus, the doctor and the man cloaked in the white, tattered hooded coat worked closely for a long while, supplying each other with materials and results.

But as the years wore away, their partnership began to grow unstable. Jimenez began publishing his partner's research and findings under his own name, denying his colleague the chance at recognition. But this was a minor setback in Ruvik's eyes, one that he could always remedy after the completion of his masterpiece. STEM was nearing its finalization, and his only concern was further engrossing himself in his creation.

A mistake he should have known better than to make.

It wasn't long before Dr. Jimenez turned on him, calling upon the aid of other doctors to corner him by force. Against his will, Ruvik was forced into his own creation as the main test subject. His body was prodded and dissected, pieces of flesh were torn away bit by bit, leaving nothing but a brain to sustain his life.

He was trapped within the walls of his own created world, forced to wander them in hateful spite as he mulled over his poor choice in deciding to trust Jimenez. His hunger for revenge was only fueled; the flame only fanned.

But Dr. Jimenez was nothing if not perceptive. He anticipated that Ruvik would be none too pleased with his deception and treachery, and had a plan to counteract any possible mishaps that threatened to transpire. With the mad scientist reduced to nothing more than a mere brain and wielding no body to return to, Jimenez felt fairly safe in his assumption that Ruvik would be of no further trouble.

After careful experimentation on Ruvik's brain and many failed attempts to send others into the world of STEM and have them return alive, Jimenez began to realize that Ruvik wasn't out of the picture just yet. Subjects were dying upon returning from the alternate world, if they even managed to make it out in the first place.

Those who were working with STEM began to slip into mysterious comas, and those who fancied fleeing found their efforts easily thwarted. Something was picking them off like prey, and the predator was _not_ happy. His claws were out, teeth bared, and he was ready to bring retribution to the world for what it had done to him. For what it had stolen from him.

Ruvik was growing restless within the confinements of his own world, and Jimenez knew time was running out. The situation was growing more perilous by the day, and further involvement with the invention would surely spell his destruction. Desperate measures suddenly took precedence, and in a last ditch effort, the doctor devised a plan in an attempt to stabilize Ruvik's destructive mind and allow for the progression of STEM.

A. M. A.

Artificially Modified Accomplice. A life force engineered by he himself, she was human in appearance, soft-spoken in tone, and radiantly beautiful in features― all neatly wrapped up into a few cells. Injected into Ruvik's brain like an unwanted tumor of sorts, Jimenez forced unto his former collaborator an unshakable adversary that was to battle his unquenchable hunger for revenge. She was to quell his malice and keep him under control; but no one knew just how powerful Ruvik was. No one could have ever anticipated just how horrific his reign over STEM was, nor just how much terror he was capable of unleashing.

And even as things began to decline, leading up to the arrival of the KPCD, Dr. Jimenez held his breath and crossed his fingers. A. M. A. was directly instilled into Ruvik's brain, marking her― by all technicalities― as a part of him. This set the stage for potential pros and cons, for in A. M. A's ties to Ruvik, she could easily hinder him, or be converted by his unyielding malevolence.

She was meant to aid Jimenez; she was designed to prohibit Ruvik. And as the men of the local police department and doctors alike were all cast into Ruvik's domain, the traitorous doctor's only hope was that their lone guiding light would emerge. He could only hold his breath and pray that his plan worked.

He had to believe that she would be their saving grace as they tettered on the edge of this hell that Ruvik so cruelly ruled over.


	2. Gentle Ally

_Chapter I: Gentle Ally_

_"Sometimes it's not strength but gentleness that cracks the hardest shells."_  
>― Richard Paul Evans<p>

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><p>To say that Sebastian Castellanos had been thrown into a world of chaos would be the most laughable understatement of the century. Hell didn't hold a candle to this place, and terrifying was only a poor synonym for it.<p>

And he had an awful, sinking feeling that this was only the beginning.

After being separated from the rest of his squad, chased by a bulky man bearing a chainsaw, and having to dodge around the collapsing city as he and his team fled in the relatively safe confines of an ambulance, the detective deemed it safe to say he had seen his fill of adventure for a lifetime.

But now he found himself wandering through the darkness, his lantern radiating a warm glow as he carefully maneuvered his way through what he could only hope was an abandoned village. He had seen what lurked in the crevices of the deepest shadows― knew what was ready and willing to chase him should he alert them to his presence. Those monstrous creatures that donned the body of deceased corpses, but still walked and moved about.

Crouched down close to the ground, he carefully crept up a set of stairs, setting fire to a pile of mangled bodies that blocked his path. He grimaced at the unpleasant aroma of rotten flesh set ablaze, but nonetheless the detective pushed on.

Advancing through the housing and disarming traps here and there, as well as taking great care to gather any ammo he happened upon, a sudden sound snagged his attention as he reached the upper levels of the house.

"Leslie, over here!" The voice was masculine yet strained, tone laced with alarm. There was the sound of shuffling footsteps for a brief moment in the room next to Sebastian, and the detective pursed his lips into a taut frown, readying his handgun.

The unknown figure muttered something in distress, but was soon cut off as Sebastian kicked the door open, aiming his gun directly at the man. He whirled around, his blue eyes stretching wide in alarm before he tossed his hands up and ducked his head down passively.

"Don't shoot― don't shoot! I'm not...one of them," He stressed, and Sebastian's tensed muscles began to relax ever so slightly. He hesitated briefly before lowering his firearm, eyeing the pristinely dressed man.

"I'm a doctor," He continued, "My name is Marcelo Jimenez."

The armed one of the two felt his brows dip downwards as he began to recognize the face, and it wasn't long before he came to the mildly reassuring revelation that this man had been in the ambulance with himself and his team before it had crashed. Perhaps if he had survived, the others had made it out as well. He could only hope as much.

"You were in the ambulance when it crashed, weren't you?" The detective prodded, receiving a nod from the doctor.

"Yes, and we're more than lucky to be alive." He breathed, his eyes darting to glance over the nearby balustrade momentarily before his gaze re-directed itself to the investigator, the latter mentioned wasting no time in beginning to question the mental hospital employee.

"Have you seen anyone else around here?" He prodded, his voice firm and thick, and once more, Jimenez nodded.

"Yes. My patient Leslie; he ran ahead, but..." Jimenez began, before he trailed off, sparing another glance over the open balcony. He shuffled his feet then, moving forward carefully as he urged Sebastian to follow him― quietly.

A group of undead lingered in the near distance, their growls earning a slight breath of exasperation from the detective. These things were a pain to deal with, and unless he drilled them in the head with bullets from his gun or otherwise scattered their collective limbs by leading them near a trap, they were persistent as hell. Burning them while they were down was also an option, but it was a race against time to get to them before they stood back up again.

"Listen, I'll distract them while you find a way to open that gate. That's where Leslie fled through, and I'm certain it's our ticket out of here." Jimenez offered, descending down the nearest flight of stairs before Sebastian could protest.

The shouts of the doctor soon filled the air, and the police detective leaned over the railing as he watched the older man wave around a torch that glowed like a beacon in the night. The living-dead whipped their heads around to him, their mouths parting as they let awful shrieks and cries before beginning to hobble over to the doctor.

"What is he doing?" Sebastian hissed beneath his breath, grunting a bit as he hurried towards the door, "That old man's going to get himself killed."

As concerned that he was that this man was going to be torn apart by the claws of the hoard, he had his own problems to worry about. Namely the task of opening the gate that the doctor had so willingly pushed on him.

With the enemies distracted, he soon set to work in remedying their shared problem. The gate that the pale haired mental patient had fled through was now closed tight, the sharp spikes wedged firmly into the ground. Upon approaching it and giving the chain that controlled the gate a firm tug, he quickly deduced that it wasn't budging any time soon. Not with the sheer force of his bare hands alone, at least. So, with a disgruntled sigh, he set to work on locating the next best thing. Something to break the chain with.

His search led him through the other structures in the area, and despite the doctor's helpful distraction, the undead had managed to hunt him down. Using the darkness and various traps to his advantage, Sebastian began to pick his pursuers off one by one.

But as he descended a particular flight of stairs, a struggling voice soon made itself known, and his head swiveled in the direction of the sound. It sounded as if whatever was being restrained was putting up a hell of a struggle, and chains rattled relentlessly as the detained individual yanked and jerked on them.

"What the―" He muttered beneath his breath, his brows knitting together briefly.

The wall closest to him suddenly caved in beneath a tremendous amount of pressure, and the detective jolted backwards, the roar of a chainsaw sending chills down his spine.

_Shit._

Whirling around and kicking his gait up to a sprint, he barely managed to tuck and roll beneath the swing of the churning blade. In his peripheral vision, he caught sight of a few pieces of his own dark hair that had been snipped off by the weapon fluttering down, and that was enough to motivate him to pick up the pace. Because to put it simply― if he didn't haul ass, that chainsaw was going to make sure that his head said its goodbye to his shoulders.

Managing to outrun his pursuer, he shook him off his tail briefly as he slipped into the shadows, slipping another clip into his handgun as well as loading up his rifle he had stumbled upon in this god-forsaken village. The sound of the chainsaw was growing nearer, and Sebastian forced his hand to steady itself as he aimed at the psychopath's chest and fired.

Shot after shot he blasted into his pursuer, but still yet he seemed to persist. Forced to retreat again, the detective gritted his teeth and scrambled to collect his thoughts and devise a plan. This big guy was becoming a pain to deal with.

After what seemed like forever, he finally managed to fell the beast by catching him off guard. The victory undoubtedly came with a price, however, considering he had gone through far more ammo than he would have liked. Luckily the village had a few rounds to spare, so he wasn't entirely out of luck.

Snapping his head to the side as the body of the mad-man soon dissipated into a crumbling, red-hued dust like substance, the detective's gaze followed the trail that snaked its way back to a particular figure that had appeared when his attention had been focused elsewhere.

A man now stood in front of the same closed gate that Sebastian had been attempting to get through, his white hood concealing a portion of his face. There were gruesome scars encompassing his flesh, and his eyes were pale and cold as he stared him down. This was the man that had attacked him in the hospital. This man, if he could even still be referred to as such, was no friend of his, to say the least.

Once the red trail reached the marred stranger, it dissipated into his skin, and Sebastian watched as he turned his body slowly and began walking a few paces before vanishing into thin air.

Lowering his gun slowly once he was sure the cloaked man was gone, the detective carefully approached the gate. Revving up the chainsaw, he slammed the weapon against the hefty chain, finally managing to severe it in twain.

The gate opened then, and before Sebastian could slink further into this mad world, another figure made its presence known. This time, however, it was not one of horrific appearance, or murderous nature. At least, as far as he could tell. That didn't stop him from nearly jumping out of his skin at the sudden entrance, however, considering the fact that his nerves were like live wires at the moment.

She seemed to glitch into the world in a similar fashion to the scarred hooded figure, and his initial reaction and sheer instinct was to raise his gun at her. She stood still, her eyes watching him carefully, almost as if she were scrutinizing him. The blue orbs were so vibrant in color, so radiant in tone, that it looked as if shards carved straight from pure glaciers were gazing at him.

Her eyelashes were thick, long, as well as dark― perfect frames that created a vast contrast in color compared to her eyes. Her skin was fair; a flawless porcelain, and her rosy lips were poised in a neutral position that boasted neither a smile nor a frown at the moment. Her hair was a deep brown, nearly black in hue, and it was pulled up into a simple yet pleasant updo decorated with a small, flowery headdress.

Her off-shoulder, lace white gown was reminiscent of an older style, and it sported a long train that lay splayed out on the ground behind her. Her pristine attire caused her to stand out like a ghost against the dark backdrop of their surroundings, and as she blinked at him, Sebastian took a step back. He had mistaken her for a statue momentarily, she had been standing so still.

But then she smiled at him, and he was briefly disarmed by the tenderness in that simple curl of her lips.

"Who the hell...?" He began, before a startled sound followed by a relieved sigh behind him urged him to glance over his shoulder.

Dr. Jimenez was approaching hastily, and the woman's gaze flicked to him. Recognition flitted across her features, and her smile warmed even further as she glided over to him with graceful steps, her dress fluttering like silk in the wind as she trotted ever so casually up to the doctor.

"It's alright, there's nothing to worry about. She's a good friend of mine." The doctor reassured, and Sebastian frowned, scrutinizing the woman. She certainly didn't seem hostile, but then again, he knew better by now than to trust anything around here.

"Really? I don't recall seeing her in the ambulance with you." He accused suspiciously, eyeing Jimenez, who briefly touched the woman on the shoulder, seemingly fascinated by the fact that she was here. This further confused the rugged man, who waited patiently for his companion to explain himself.

"That's because she's not...she wasn't...well, how can I put this?" He mumbled to himself, seeming to mull over something of great importance as he circled around the female, eyeing her in an innocuous manner. She stood still beneath his close inspection, blinking passively every so often. She had yet to say a single word, and Sebastian didn't know whether that was reassuring or troubling.

"Never mind, I'll explain to you soon enough." Jimenez eventually dismissed the subject, "Our first priority is Leslie. He should be just up ahead― it is imperative that we find him."

"Hey, wait! You're not going to―?" His question soon trailed off as the doctor jogged ahead of him, leaving the detective behind with the feminine stranger. Sebastian heaved what felt like the hundredth sigh of the day as he rubbed his temples, turning to face the woman that watched him curiously.

"What's your name?" He spoke up after a moment, earning a passive blink from the stranger. Her full lips pulled into a docile smile then, and much to his surprise, she picked up the edges of her dress into her slender fingers and curtsied.

"A. M. A." She responded, and her voice surprised him. It had a particularly temperate timbre about it, and it flowed smoothly like a stream of silk. She was soft-spoken as well, and her tone held an archaic twinge to it to boot. All in all, she appeared to be _vastly_ out of her element here in this twisted place.

"Ama?" He repeated, raising a single brow at the unique name. He didn't question its origin, however, despite it striking him as odd.

"You fought the Sadist, did you not?" It was her turn to question him now, and for some reason, her benign gaze caused a strange yet soothing sensation to overtake him. She paced towards him, and her delicate hand flitted up to his rough cheek. Her thumb brushed over a small cut on his visage, and she hummed beneath her breath in thought as she wiped the blood away from his skin. He nearly flinched away from the touch, unwilling to allow her so close to him, but a brief glance from her tame eyes somehow assured him that she would do him no harm.

"Who is the Sadist?" He asked hesitantly, and she smiled at him again, albeit in a more melancholy manner. He was really beginning to question as to whether or not this woman was simply a hallucination, her affable nature seemed so out of place here. But the doctor had seen her too, and even claimed she was a friend of his. So surely she was real.

"He is― or rather, he _was_― a creature born from the mind of a murderer, merged with Ruvik's own hatred. He lost his way, succumbing to rage and becoming the murderous monster you saw yourself." She explained, though her clarification only brought up a dozen more questions.

"Ruvik? Who is Ruvik?"

Her smile slackened then, and her eyes became unreadable. Her hand retreated from his cheek and she turned, walking away from him without another word.

Sebastian turned as well, watching her elegant form practically waltz into the shadows away from him. He arched a brow then, inhaling quietly before shaking his head a bit.

"Right, so that's apparently a sore spot." He muttered beneath his breath, sweeping his hand through his hair as he picked up his pace in order to catch up to the doctor and his ally. When he returned to them, they were walking side by side, their heads tucked together as they quietly conversed about a seemingly urgent matter, judging by the facial cues of Jimenez.

"Have you seen him?" The whisper was barely audible, but nonetheless, Sebastian heard it.

Ama's features were once more unreadable, and she tucked her chin down in a faint nod. The scientist's expression became more wary, and the old-fashioned female spoke in a quieter tone now as well.

"Yes. He walks in the shadows, ever so watchful. I am afraid, doctor, that he is far more in control of this environment than you anticipated. These creatures, these things, every aspect of this hateful world is― " She stopped short then, her eyes snapping to the KCPD detective when she noted that he was a little too close within hearing range of the private conversation.

Jimenez scoffed under his breath but motioned for the other male to catch up to them. Sebastian hesitated, frowning inwardly as he strode up to the two. They were hiding something from him, and he didn't take kindly to it.

"Ah, the hospice. Of course, how could I have forgotten? Leslie was being treated here years ago. It would make sense for him to flee here, thinking it was safe."

That wasn't particularly comforting in the slightest. Was it wrong to think this place was safe? Of course it was, because what part of this entire area had he encountered that had been safe?

"You know this place?"

"Just up ahead is the hospice my brother runs. He'll take us in, I'm sure of it." The doctor seemed content to ignore the detective, and the latter wasn't one to be so easily cast aside.

"That didn't answer my question." He grunted, his voice firm and demanding; a product of years on the job as a investigative detective.

"I don't know," Jimenez drawled with a breathy sigh, "For all I know I've lost my mind and all of this is just a delusion. But I'd like to think I have enough dignity within me to warrant an obligation to protect my patient. As an officer of the law, you should too."

Feeling his lips twitch in a vaguely annoyed manner, Sebastian resisted the urge to spit out a smart-ass remark. He wasn't too successful in his attempt, seeing as how he muttered something under his breath anyways.

Climbing up the steps to the house that the doctor paused in front of, Sebastian let him take the led as he strode confidently into the hospice. Noting that Ama had failed to follow, the law enforcer swiveled his head around, eyeing the woman as she lingered by the door.

Her gaze was cast dead ahead, and she stared off into the distance, seemingly peering into or at something that he could not see. Again, her gaze was unreadable, and she looked like a porcelain statue as she stood as still as a stone sentinel.

"Ama...?" He began, his tone vaguely concerned for her. His hand grappled for his gun, assuming that there was an enemy nearby, but she suddenly swiveled on her heels and smiled at him.

"Forgive me, detective. I must have been seeing things." She dismissed kindly, her smiling returning to her features as she picked up the corners of her dress again, the train of it trailing behind her as she made her way up the stairs. He nodded stiffly, allowing the door to close behind her as he flicked his lantern on. The warm glow cast away the shadows, and Ama's eyes briefly flickered to the source of light.

Just when he was expecting her to say something about it running the risk of attracting attention, she jumped topics, and turned her gaze forward as she walked alongside him.

"Your pace has slackened. Perhaps you were wounded in your previous fight?" She presumed, and the detective shot her an indignant look which warranted a soft, melodic chuckle from her. She appeared to be able to read him far more easily than he could her.

"My sincerest apologies― I meant no offense. I'm merely stating the truth. If you are wounded, you will find the syringes scattered about to be of the utmost use to you." Her tone was kind as she proceeded to reassure him, and he found himself unable to be miffed at her blunt statement, annoyingly enough.

Shuffling around, he located a syringe that he had collected earlier, staring down at it for a brief moment. He was aware that she was watching him expectantly, and after taking a small breath, he injected it into his arm. Almost immediately, he felt a rush of relief as the pain and soreness dissipated, and Ama smiled softly.

"Better?" She crooned, her tone amiable. He spared her a nod, and she seemed content with this as she moved forward in the house.

The place had certainly declined in appearance, and it seemed as if a hurricane had blasted through her as of late. The floorboards creaked unnervingly with every step that the two males of the group took, but their ever so graceful companion made not a sound as she swept over the flooring. The only sound she made came from the rustling of her dress that trailed behind her as she walked.

_"Expose everything...Hush, hush...Don't you fret."_

A chill immediately swept down Sebastian's spine, and Ama's warm eyes snapped to the glimpse of a shadow that was visible behind the curtain that divided a section of the room off. She froze in her spot, and he reached out in an attempt to stop the doctor from advancing any nearer to the tattered sheet of fabric that obscured their view of Jimenez's brother.

"Valerio, it's me!" Jimenez called out casually, striding up towards his sibling with the utmost confidence, as the other voice continued to rumble mindlessly.

_"The good doctor is here."_

"This is my brother, Valerio. He was Leslie's original doctor― " His voice died on his lips as flesh splattered against the ground, falling in grotesque clumps as the burly doctor carved away at an unmoving patient. Sebastian stepped in front of Jimenez, spreading his arm out in front of his chest to keep him shielded.

"Hey, what are you doing?" The detective demanded, and the owner of the hospice slowly turned around. Sebastian wasn't surprised with what he saw, and in all honesty, he couldn't say that he hadn't been anticipating that something was going to go wrong here. Still yet, he wished he could've been proven wrong for once.

The heavy-set man advanced towards him, eyes aglow as his beefy hand wielded a large, knife like weapon. Clenching his jaw, his aimed his gun and took a single, well placed shot that resulted in bits of Valerio's head decorating the nearest wall.

"How?" Jimenez muttered, "How could he have done that to Valerio?" He approached the corpse of his brother then, swallowing hard as he stared down at it, "Impossible...Couldn't be Ruvik..."

There was that name again. Sebastian was beginning to grow a bit wary of just how often this particular alias was popping up, though a sudden, splitting headache prevented him from demanding to know who this Ruvik was that both the doctor and Ama had mentioned.

His world blurred around him, and he wobbled on his feet, grappling at his head. His hands fisted into his hair as he grunted in a pained manner, screwing his eyes shut as he stumbled and fell against the back wall. Every inch of his skull felt as if it would cave in beneath the pressure at any moment; he had never felt anything so excruciating in his life. Images of Valerio raced through his mind as the man feverishly scraped at his head, claiming that it had an "itch". Blood welled up on the doctor's scalp, and just as Sebastian was beginning to feel nauseated, the vision was abruptly dispelled, and he was pulled out of his trance-like state.

Ama stood before him, her expression painted with concern. Two fingers were pressed against his forehead, and she let her touch linger before she retracted it, stepping away from him then. Sebastian sucked in deep lungfuls of air, letting out a shaky breath after he had managed to regain his bearings.

"What did you just do?" He questioned. The searing pain of the unwarranted migraine had completely dissipated the second she had touched him, and that wasn't something he would consider normal. She tucked her head down though rather than answer him immediately, spinning around as she began to pace away.

"I released you." Her voice floated through the air, and he pushed off the wall, calling out to her in an attempt to get her to explain herself. She had released him? Released him from _what_? What had had a grip on him? But she had already fled, and he caught a glimpse of her white dress fluttering wildly as she made her way hurriedly towards the windows.

Both the detective and the doctor gave pursuit, and a sudden fearful cry shattered the silence of the night. Ama's head swiveled in the direction of the scream, and her lips parted as she began to visibly fret.

"Leslie..." She whispered, her gaze darting over his shoulder as she glanced at Jimenez. Her features now lacked their trademark gentleness, and in its stead there was alarm. Her eyes were widened, her hands clenched, and her brows clenched in worry.

"Ama, please, settle down. He'll be alright, don't do anything―" The figure of the woman seemed to glitch out, and in a split moment she had disappeared, leaving not a trace left behind.

"Brash..." The doctor finished, before he heaved out a rough sigh, facing the detective, "Come, we must find her. She will most certainly lead us to Leslie."

"How do you know that for sure?" The younger of the two demanded, and the aged doctor pursed his lips, his troubled blue eyes directing elsewhere as he hesitated.

"It's in her...Oh, how should I put this? It's in her _nature_...to protect him."

"In her nature? What's that supposed to mean?" Sebastian frowned, "What are her ties to him? Is she a relative of his?"

"Not quite. Come, I'll do my best to explain on the way. But we must hurry!" His voice faded as he exited the building, leaving the detective behind to mull over his words.

Something was definitely not right here. Years of experience and knowledge of investigative situations had left him with sharp judgment, which meant he could smell an oddity from a mile away. And this mysterious woman was raising just about every red flag possible in his mind. Between her out of place appearance, her ability to teleport in and out of places like a specter, and her capability to subdue his sudden headache, she was an all around enigma riddled with secrecy.

And Dr. Marcelo Jimenez was undoubtedly hiding something about her― something he intended to get to the bottom of.

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><p><strong>This was mainly a chapter to introduce A. M. A., but rest assured, the next chapter will be where things start picking up. Thank you all for viewing my story! I hope it's to your guy's liking, and that I can continue to please in future chapters. And to the guest that reviewed, thank you so very much! I'm flattered by your kind comments!<strong>


	3. Dark and Light

_**Chapter II: Dark and Light**_

_"We must learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer."_ — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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><p>Following the sound of the distressed cry, Ama fled through the shadows, searching high and low for the source of the frightened scream. She knew who the voice belonged to. A mental patient at Beacon Mental Hospital— Leslie Withers.<p>

She was familiar with him; it was in her long-term objective to protect him and see to it that he was spared from harm. She had been designed by Dr. Marcelo Jimenez to prohibit Ruvik and to see to it that things did not go awry here, and she had quickly discovered that the key to this was indeed the skittish, pale mental patient.

"_Help me, help me, help me..." _The tremulous voice chanted, clinging onto those words as if they were the only ones in existence.

She found him in a small room filled with photographs; ones she didn't bother to look at. Her flowing dress swept behind her as she carefully approached the cowering patient, and her touch was gentle as she rested her hands over his own.

"Steady, Leslie. Steady." She soothed him, her voice softer now as she stood in front of him protectively. He cried out in fear and began to struggle, but Ama's patience was unwavering. It might have been in her design to protect him, but for some odd reason, she felt..._compelled_ to do so of her own free will, more than anything.

"Hush now, you're alright. I know who haunts you, and by my word I shall protect you." She soothed him, resting her index and middle finger against his forehead, just as she had done with Sebastian.

Leslie's thrashing and struggling immediately quelled as she filled him with a warm, soothing feeling. His breathing began to even out, though he still quivered skittishly. His eyes remained locked on the ground.

"You'll...protect me?" He asked shakily, and tenderly, Ama smoothed the boy's white hair down, beginning to comb her fingers through it in a lulling manner.

"Of course, dear. Of course."

His pale locks were tangled and dirty, and she frowned slightly to herself at this detail. His teeth were also chipped in places and were not the most pristine color; all of these things pointing to the lack of care given to him as a patient. And she knew why this was.

He had been, and seemingly still was, a part of the ongoing experimentation with STEM. It would seem that they were kindred souls in that aspect, for she had been created for the sole purpose of aiding said invention. She had never had a real life, a real body...She was merely created to serve and to assist Jimenez in any way that she could, even if it meant that— in the end— her "life", if you could even call it that, was forfeit.

She could sympathize with the despair that consumed Leslie. And she wished, more than anything else, that Jimenez had created her as an emotionless being to protect her from these particular moments of vulnerability. These moments where she actually felt _human_, rather than a mere program.

Leslie whimpered, startling a bit when the sound of the door being kicked open alarmed him. The two voices that flooded the room lit in red were familiar to her and the patient, but nonetheless, the latter one fell into another frenzy when Jimenez rushed up to him.

"It's alright, Leslie. It's alright, Dr. Jimenez is here, settle down!" He soothed, though that didn't seize the boy's frantic thrashing as he was held back. Ama stepped to the side, a flicker of a frown appearing on her lips. The pale skinned patient was acting just as mistrusting of the doctor as he would a monster.

"Something here. Something scary." He began to mutter, and Ama's gaze darted to Sebastian as he curled his fingers around his handgun. The sound of the door bursting open alerted the two of them, and the detective and artificial ally stepped up to deal with the problem.

"Stand back," Sebastian calmly ordered, "These things are a pain to deal with. They'll hurt you."

Ama's eyes flickered to him briefly, and her expression remained neutral. She faced her gaze forward, listening closely to the squelching sound of an unseen enemy that signified its approach.

"Hold your tongue and assumptions, detective. I know more of this place than you think I do. This is an invisible Haunted. Watch your surroundings closely for an indication of its presence." She spoke, warranting an odd and questioning look from the detective. A look he didn't have time to follow through with a question before a grotesque figure with tentacles massing on its face grabbed at him.

"Shit!" He cursed, grunting as he began to struggle. The monster's grip was tight, and the tentacles in close range of his face weren't exactly the most pleasant sight.

"_Monster...Monster...Scary...Scary!" _Leslie's voice quivered as he cried out, and Ama's gaze swiveled to him for a fleeting moment. Seeing the fear in his eyes was all that was needed to urge her into action.

Just as Sebastian shoved the creature off of him and aimed his gun, prepared to shoot it down, it turned invisible again. But Ama strode out into the main area of the room, grabbing at what seemed like thin air, before a figure materialized beneath her.

The Haunted let out an awful, ear-splitting shriek when she gripped onto its head. Light abruptly consumed the monster as it howled and thrashed, before its cries died down to a faint gurgle. The warm luminosity consumed it from head to toe, and in the next moment, the Haunted had split into small, shimmering fragments of light that quickly dissipated.

The group behind her stood quiet, Leslie having calmed down slightly, Sebastian staring at her in disbelief, and Dr. Jimenez eying her in relief.

She had been programmed and specifically designed to tame Ruvik's inner hatred and darkness in order to make STEM easier to work with. Ruvik's mind was filled with such vengeful and malicious nature that it corrupted and eventually killed all who came in contact with the project, thus making her objective as a program to prevent that from happening any longer.

She was the light that was meant to chase away the shadows.

"What are you?" Sebastian's inquiry warranted her attention, and she turned her eyes to him briefly before pausing to spare a glance in her creator's direction. Dr. Jimenez clenched his jaw, shaking his head in a manner that told her she was better off not informing the detective.

"A friend. That's all you need to know." She muttered softly, her gown swaying as she approached him, "Now then, are you injured?"

He seemed to check himself over briefly before he grunted; a signal that meant he was fine.

"Come, we must keep moving." Jimenez spoke up, resting his hands on Leslie's shoulders as he guided the boy carefully forward. The patient's gait was shaky and uncertain, and Ama flitted to his side, gazing down at him in an almost motherly way as she rested a hand on his head. His eyes remained glued to the floor, but his shivering eased up a bit beneath her touch.

"Is there any place here that's safe?" Sebastian inquired, receiving a sigh from the doctor.

"I think that's unlikely." He settled for, and he shared a glance with his program for a moment before the group made their way back out into the hallway.

"Can't get out...Can't get away!" Leslie whimpered as they progressed into the corridor. Ama spotted her creator pausing before a solid stone wall, and she heard his rate of breathing slowly increase as he pressed his hands against the sturdy structure.

"That's impossible...The stairs are gone." He breathed, steadily stepping away from the wall that had not been there before. His lips parted, and she could practically hear his heartbeat pounding in his chest as his realization began to wash over him. The same realization she knew to be true.

"We must be collectively losing our minds." Sebastian was approaching from behind, and Ama tensed when Leslie ducked his head down, his posture slumped over.

"_Losing our minds...Losing our minds..." _

"Leslie—"

"_Losing our minds! Losing our minds!" _

The chant gave way to a sharp ringing noise that overtook Ama's ears, and she cringed, hissing beneath her breath as her hand suddenly clutched at her chest. She doubled over, drawing both the attention of the detective and doctor, the latter of which rushed over to her.

"Ama? What's happening? What's wrong?" He questioned hurriedly, and the gentle-spirited woman let out a low groan, her chest heaving as she clutched harshly at where her heart beat beneath her porcelain skin. Leslie's cry soon joined into the mix, and he dropped to the ground, clutching at his head.

"Oh god..." Jimenez breathed, his eye catching on a form at the end of the corridor. His voice was consumed with fear and disbelief.

"Ruvik. It _is_ you."

Ruvik stood at the end of the hallway, his figure shadowed over by his worn-down coat. His chin lifted and his eyes practically burned a hole into each person as he watched them with an unwavering and unnerving gaze. The ringing in their ears only increased, and Ama gritted her teeth, pushing through the sharp pains in her chest until she managed to dispel them.

The moment she did, Ruvik's gaze swiveled to her. She slowly removed her hand from her chest, staring at him steadily as her breathing regained a more balanced pace.

"Who the hell are you?" Sebastian demanded, earning Ruvik's attention for a fleeting second before he turned and began to stroll leisurely towards the end of the hallway. The detective moved to follow, despite the doctor's frantic warning not to.

And in the blink of an eye, everyone was separated.

Ama exhaled a slight breath, turning her head to glance around her. Leslie, Dr. Jimenez, and Sebastian were gone. She was on her own now, in a hallway that was tinged red. Blood dripped down from the walls, and several doors lined the corridor on each side. A few of them opened, and the growls and shrieks of the Haunted alerted her to the presence of enemies.

Turning her head, Ama squared her shoulders and planted her feet securely against the ground, refusing to back down. Just because she was not armed with a gun did not mean she was incapable of holding her own. She might be gentle-natured, but she was by no means weak.

Beginning to pace towards the hoard, she closed her eyes for a brief moment, a slight illumination overtaking her features. She glowed like a warmly lit beacon, and the Haunted shrieked and shied away from the light, stumbling back and away from her.

Their flesh sizzled and threatened to set ablaze as she stared them down. The sight of the light in this hellish darkness physically pained them. It was too much for them to bear, for they had been corrupted by Ruvik's hate and desire for revenge. A creature meant to purge the darkness from them, as she had been designed to do, startled them. They fled from her purity, howling and screaming at the sight of her.

The last of the wooden doors burst open then, and the rumbling roar of a figure she knew well made itself known.

The monster was inhumanly tall and weighed a hefty sum, and he carried with him a large meat tenderizer with a prominent spike on the back. In his other hand, he carried a sack— the contents of which Ama was fine with not knowing.

"Sending out such an enemy already?" She whispered softly, almost as if she were wounded by Ruvik's desire to see her dead. He wasn't wasting any time, it would seem, considering he had sent the Keeper to deal with her.

The beast roared, swinging his heavy bag over his head as he stormed towards the petite female. She stared up at him without flinching or recoiling in fear, and before he could land a hit on her, she glitched out from in front of him and reappeared behind him.

Grabbing a fistful of his shirt, she slammed her palm against his chest where his heart should have been. Just like the invisible Haunted that she had dispelled earlier, he roared in agony, falling away into small grains of light that ultimately disappeared.

Silence suddenly enveloped her, and she stared down the long hallway that she now stood alone in. She stepped forward, her dress trailing behind her as she searched the shadows.

"I know you're here, Ruvik." She murmured softly, and a sudden, clenching pain in her chest told her that her assumption was correct. She turned, and there he stood, ever so calmly at the end of the corridor.

Neither of them spoke for a moment, but Ama's brow twitched faintly as the ache in her chest spiked abruptly. She refused to show any signs of agony, however, and instead stood strong in her stance. Whether this irked or intrigued the marred scientist, she did not know.

"You should not be here. You are an anomaly." His voice was low and deep, and there was a threatening air to it as he slowly began to advance towards her. The closer he got, the sharper the pain in her chest grew.

"Jimenez created you, didn't he? He's a fool if he thinks a simple program can stop me." His statement was taunting, but still yet, her gaze remained gentle as she stared at him. She didn't question how he knew that she was a program, because she knew it was pointless. She had been forced unto his own mind; of course he would know that she was not a mere human hooked up to STEM. The rest was simple enough to piece together, given his intellectual mind.

He stopped a mere foot away from her, looming over her as he looked down at her face. He stared into her blue eyes, almost as if he expected them to radiate fear, or maybe even hatred.

But they didn't. There was nothing but a docile calmness to them, and the corner of his scarred lip gave off the faintest twitch because of it. She wasn't sure if he was tempted to smirk or scowl at her.

"Either way," He continued, not giving her the chance to respond even if she wanted to, "Your creator failed to realize that this is my world, and _I _am in control of it. He made a mistake by implementing you."

He drew closer like a viper poised to strike, and still she did not flinch away.

"By forcing your program into my brain, he linked you directly to me. You're as much of a part of my mind now as I myself am. So tell me, will you be able to handle it?" His hand flitted up to touch her cheek, and she simply watched him, that same temperate nature ingrained on her features.

His touch was as cold as ice, a byproduct of his charred skin being unable to properly regulate body temperature. Her skin stood in stark contrast to his own; it was warm, soft, with not a scar in sight. But as he touched her, red veins began to spread across her face beneath her skin, and her lips parted as she looked up at him. Her tame blue orbs began to mix with a darker color, the whites of her eyes began to turn black. The edges of her pristine white gown crackled as an ebony color as deep as shadow began to crawl up it, overtaking the pure color of the dress.

"It pains you to be near me. I can _feel_ it. You were designed to combat the creatures created by my hatred, but you yourself are not equipped to resist corruption. I can pick apart every inch of you that is good and kind, and turn you against those you try to protect. You're part of my mind, after all, and are therefore mine to do with as I please."

Blood dripped from her lips, and she was unable to break his gaze.

She struggled to breathe suddenly, and the pain that spread through her body was not pain at all, she came to realize. It was darkness. Sheer, unadulterated hatred and evilness in its purest form was being pumped into her by Ruvik, in his attempt to corrupt her. To destroy her. She might have been a part of his mind, allowing her slight control over this world as well, but he was the grand puppeteer here. She couldn't overpower him in the long run.

Gritting her teeth, she reached out to him, curling her fingers around his arm. He seemed a bit caught off guard that she could touch him and stop him from glitching away, but the real surprise came when an abrupt warmth overcame him.

Before his very eyes, the burned flesh that consumed his skin began to revert back to how it had been before the "accident". His scars and gruesome marring all steadily faded away, and for a fleeting instance, he felt warmth radiate through his skin again.

He recoiled harshly, gripping his face in a rare moment of surprise. But the skin that had regenerated itself reverted back to its burned appearance the second he broke contact with her. Now it was Ama's turn to swap the tables.

The darkness that had been creeping into her being suddenly dispersed. The blood around her lips vanished, as did the veins, and her eyes and dress reverted back to their original colors.

"You think yourself a monster, do you not?" She questioned, and he stared at her beneath the shadows of his hood, his eyes burning with annoyance. He clearly didn't take kindly to being defied, nor did he like that she was aware of things he had didn't want _anyone_ to know.

"You changed after the incident that left you scarred. You think the world should pay for what it's taken from you, for what it's done to you." She was a part of his own mind, how could she _not_ know? She had seen the things he had done, she knew his memories like they were her own.

"You were drowning in your own mind because you were alone. You were losing your grip on sanity, mourning over the loss of your beloved sister. Lamenting the supposed passing of the only one who understood you. So you turned to creating STEM. And now you've corrupted your own invention." She boldly declared, drawing closer to him now.

"Do you think that I am not aware of your true intentions here? My creator may not know, but _I _do." Dark and light clashed as they stood off against one another, and her gaze was gentle while his was full of twisted malice. His response did not surprise her.

"I created this world. You cannot keep me here." It was a statement, allowing no room for argument. He was determined to get out, and in that moment, Ama knew that if he really set his mind to it— quite literally— then he would be able to achieve his goal.

Escape.

"You intend to take Leslie's body for your own in order to get out." She guessed, her eyes holding a saddened light.

The mental patient had been introduced to Ruvik's mind and lived to see the light of day. He had survived the experience, unlike everyone else. His mind was compatible, able to withstand the heavy weight that Ruvik carried in his waking consciousness.

He didn't answer her, but she didn't need him to.

"I will not let you have him." Her voice held a firmness to it that had not been there before. There was an undeniable sense of protectiveness that washed over her like a wave, and she frowned at him openly. He stared at her for a long moment, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly, as if he were mulling over something. He then began muttering, some of his words lost to the female program.

"...Right supramarginal gyrus, Brodmann area 40, located at the posterior end of the lateral fissure, in the inferior lateral part of the parietal lobe. Subject shows astounding functionality in this particular area despite apparent lack of general human life. A program exemplifying empathy, how interesting..." He mused, as if he were suddenly intrigued by her capability of expressing compassion— a trait a _human_ would exert, not a program.

"General blockage of area 40 results in increased inability to express sympathetic tendencies. Amygdala may also prove to be highly functional."

Hissing suddenly when her hair was grabbed, she resisted the urge to lash out in defense as he yanked on the strands. _Hard._

She grappled at his coat as a result, but he had already backed away. Her hair had been pulled from its updo, and the dark locks tumbled down like a silken waterfall, brushing a few inches past her waist. He went to grab it again then, but she was more alert now, and she dodged his touch.

There wasn't fear in her gaze, even after his most recent actions. This seemed to further intrigue the scientist, yet at the same time, it also seemed to evoke something within him. Something she couldn't quite decipher.

"Assumption correct. Amygdala appears to be in full working order. Subject's mind commits events to memory, triggering the startle circuit of the brain." He murmured to himself, staring at her in an unnerving manner. Ama winced, smoothing her hair down after the hard tug it had endured. But even despite Ruvik's cruel treatment, she did not lash out at him, like he seemed to be waiting for her to do.

"Fascinating..." He rumbled on, turning on his heels as he slowly began to make his way towards the end of his hall. Something in his mind was churning, and she wasn't sure if she liked that or not.

"Dr. Jimenez, for so many years I have considered your work inferior and subsidiary. But _this..._" His words were chilling, and his lips curled up into a ghost of a smirk, "You've certainly outdone yourself this time."

He disappeared then, and the scenery around Ama shifted without warning. She inhaled sharply as she was forced to fall down several hundred feet before her back slammed against a wall, her small and petite body rolling before coming to a stop. She groaned, laying on the floor for a moment with her hair splayed out behind her like a dark blanket.

She really needed to figure out a way to stop Ruvik from transporting her.

Pushing up onto her elbows, she gritted her teeth as she steadily rose back to her feet. Her long, flowing white gown was now torn in places, and the train lay in tatters due to catching on miscellaneous items during the fall. Her hair was slightly tussled, and a few stray strands hung in her face before she tucked them away.

Taking in her surroundings, she found herself in a hospital like area, with a front desk situated in the main room. There was a woman with brunette hair and glasses standing behind it, but she seemed to remain unaware of the program's presence. Either that, or the nurse just chose to ignore her.

Spinning around, the dark haired female took in the sight of a bulletin board with a missing person's report tacked to it. A grandfather clock ticked persistently in the background, and the light above her flickered, casting occasional shadows across the room.

"Ama?" The rough voice was familiar to her, and she turned, her shoulders slumping in relief when she spotted Sebastian at the end of a corridor.

"Detective, are you alright?" She asked, her voice soft and concerned. He gave her a nod, approaching her with heavy and swift footsteps.

"I'm fine. And you?" He inquired, earning a soft sigh from her. Was she fine? She was beginning to grow unsure of that.

"Still functional, I suppose." She reassured him, smiling kindly up at the man before she glanced around, "At any rate, what is this place?"

"I wish I could tell you, but your guess is as good as mine. All I know is that it appears to be the only reasonably safe place here." He grumbled, before he rested a hand on her shoulder, scanning over her rattled figure.

"What happened to you? You look like something attacked you." He deduced, warranting a small twitch of Ama's brow as she turned her gaze away.

She could easily tell him of Ruvik's appearance, and the confrontation that had soon ensued. She could so very easily tell him what was going on here, where exactly he was, and what all of this meant. She could readily inform him of so many things he was questioning, and she could enlighten him as to who Ruvik really was and what he was after.

But something compelled her to remain silent.

"It's nothing, really, though the sentiment of your concern is both noted and appreciated. Come now, we should try to find Leslie and the doctor." She ushered him forward, and he looked at her for a long moment. She avoided his gaze, and after a moment he looked into a mirror closest to them. The glass began to emit a sharp, shrill ringing noise, before it suddenly fractured.

A bright light overtook Ama's vision, and when she could see clearly again, they were standing in the middle of a completely different room. It was certainly odd, but she knew better than to question it at this point. Not when she knew more of Ruvik's world than any other at this point.

"Seb? Who is this?" A different voice introduced itself, and she directed her attention to the glasses donning man.

"Relax, she's a friend," Sebastian soothed his friend's nerves, motioning to the female as he continued, "Joseph, this is Ama. Ama, this is Joseph Oda."

Delicately picking her way over to him, she drew up the edges of her dress slightly, politely curtsying to him. She didn't miss the way he raised a single brow at this, and she smiled softly at him.

"A pleasure to meet you, Joseph Oda." Her tone was ginger and pleasant, eliciting a slight mistrust from Joseph right off the bat. She could see it in the way he eyed her; he didn't trust her just yet. He stiffened up when she approached him, sharing a brief glance with Sebastian, while the latter nodded in reassurance.

Pressing two fingers to his forehead, Ama soothed Joseph's inner turmoil, managing to chase away the shadows that were beginning to tempt his mind. She dispelled them for the time being, breaking up the influence that Ruvik had over him. Joseph jolted away from her in surprise, rubbing at his head slowly as he steadied his breathing.

"What did you...?" He began, but his question was soon cut off by Sebastian's footsteps beginning to advance further down the hall.

"Come on, we don't have time to waste. Let's get moving."

Ama spared one last smile for Joseph before she turned, her figure trotting off into the shadows as she trailed close behind Sebastian. Things were relatively calm for the time being, but she had a feeling that the peace would not last for much longer.

Ruvik was lurking in the shadows. She could feel his ever watchful presence weighing down on her, constantly chipping away at her sanity and urging her to fall to his control. He wanted to chase away the light that had been forced unto him, but she wasn't wavering so easily.

She would not succumb to his darkness.

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><p><strong>[AN: Thanks so much for the reviews guys! It's really humbling to hear your guy's feedback, and I hope I can continue to please in future chapters.]**


	4. Kindler of the Sun

_**Chapter III: Kindler of the Sun **_

"**Part of him wanted to weep...but his purpose was rigid within him. He felt he could not bend to gentleness without breaking."** — Stephen R. Donaldson

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><p>She was an aberration— an oddity within his own world that was designed to hinder him. It would seem that Dr. Jimenez had far more audacity than Ruvik had originally given him credit for, because implementing a program such as Ama did not come without its risks. Was her creator unaware that he could so easily turn this gentle, soft-spoken woman against the very people she was designed to protect? Marcelo underestimated him, and having his genius undermined was something that he did <em>not<em> take kindly to.

The bitter resentment he harbored towards Jimenez was deep-rooted, and fleshed out over the span of many years. But between the doctor making him the main test subject of his own invention and then forcing unto him this troublesome program, he was _really _rubbing salt into an open wound. Ruvik was not the most forgiving of souls, but he wouldn't end the doctor's life just yet. Where was the joy in that?

No, first he would toy with him. Jimenez would understand fear before the end. And this merciless torment wasn't just reserved for the doctor alone. No— this was meant for everyone. Each individual linked to his consciousness would come to know the meaning of pain and suffering. Their misery was the name of the game, and their unyielding agony brought to him the utmost pleasure.

But each time he came close to crushing an individual like the pest they were and putting an end to their miserable existence, _she_ would appear.

That infuriating, _insufferable_ bit of light. He hated the warmth she emitted, the compassion in her smile and the temperate, docile nature that radiated off of her. He loathed every inch of tenderness and benevolence that she exuded, because it reminded him so much of days past. Of _someone_ from days past.

She didn't run from him, despite what he was capable of. Knowing what he could do to her, she still did not flee. Why? Did she not know that he could morph her into a creature that even the most twisted demons of hell would flee from the sight of? She was a part of his corrupted mind, and no creature as fair as her would last long in this place.

But for all his hatred and ill will, he did not banish the soft-spoken program just yet. Instead, he carefully observed her from the shadows, his eyes always watchful.

Sebastian and Joseph had come to the crumbling remains of a balcony, and from the shadows, Ama emerged just behind them. Her eyes scanned around their surroundings, peering into each shadow, and he knew she was searching for him. She was a part of his mind, thanks to the work of Jimenez, and was therefore far more in tune with his presence than the others were.

Where they blindly assumed that he was absent, she was always aware of his gaze.

"Kidman!" The cry of Sebastian urged his two companions to direct their attention downwards, where the female detective was located.

She was trapped in a large glass tank, with a pipe positioned above it that rapidly pumped murky water into her make-shift prison. The grimy liquid was rising fast, and if they didn't free her of her confines soon, she would drown.

Sebastian's heel pressed against the railing as he went to leap over it, and in the shadows of this world, an ever so watchful Ruvik smiled wryly. This particular detective certainly liked to play the role of the hero, it would seem. No matter—he was just bringing a swifter end upon himself.

But then a delicate, dainty hand grappled onto the back of his shirt, effectively stopping him from leaping over the edge and straight into a trap.

"Wait, Detective. That's not as wise as you might think." She murmured softly, her patient blue eyes swiveling to him briefly. Sebastian opened his mouth to protest, but Jospeh hastily tacked on his additional input.

"She's right— look. It's a trap, Seb." The man with the glasses nodded sharply towards the emerging enemies, most of which wielded weapons or firearms of some sort. Sebastian gritted his teeth, his jaw clenching tightly as he diverted his attention back to Kidman. The water level was still rising, and already it threatened to force its captive into a floating position. If they wasted any more time, she would die of asphyxiation.

"We need to get down there somehow without alerting the—" Joseph's words were soon cut off as a hefty figure slammed into him from behind, causing both he and the creature to topple over the edge of the balustrade.

"Joseph!" Sebastian and Ama's cry were one in the same, and the latter rushed towards the railing, her dress fluttering wildly with her hurried gait. As the two landed, wood splintered and cracked beneath the combined weight of the detective and the Haunted that had attacked him, and Joseph rolled onto his side, his hand clutching at his abdomen.

"I'm fine," He strained out, managing to clamber back up onto his feet, while the Haunted remained crippled on the floor. It had taken the brunt of the fall, and wasn't getting back up anytime soon.

"Can you heal him?" Sebastian's question was directed towards Ama, and she paused for a moment, her doe-like blue eyes staring up at him apologetically.

"I'm afraid not. I am designed to cleanse and purge— I do not possess regenerative abilities." Her tone was contrite and heavy with remorse, as if she felt guilty for being unable to aid the detective in the way he had hoped she could. She was only a program— she didn't possess "magical" healing properties. Although given the twisted and odd things in this world, she supposed it wasn't an outlandish assumption to make.

"I think you two better get down here!" Joseph's warning was accompanied by the collective rumbling and growling of several Haunted, who were beginning to stumble their way into the area. Their bodies were rotten and mangled, and some were even wrapped in barbed wire. Others sported fixated masks that concealed the gruesome faces beneath, and some were already missing parts of themselves. But most noticeably, weapons gleamed and glinted in their hands. Weapons they were fully capable of putting to use.

Glancing over her shoulder, Ama soon directed her attention back to Sebastian. The apologetic expression that had overtaken her features was soon replaced with one of determination, and a rare look of resolve began to color her docile visage.

"You go and assist your friends. I will take care of the Haunted." She vowed, and despite Sebastian's urgent attempt at protesting, she spun on her heels and hastily began to descend towards the lower lever, with the older detective hot on her heels.

Standing toe to toe with a small group of Haunted, Ama slowly inhaled and began to approach them calmly. They shrieked and hissed at her, craning their necks and turning their heads away from her. They looked elsewhere, unable to stand the illumination and warmth that rolled off of the woman in waves.

They stumbled back in a disoriented fashion, and both Joseph and Sebastian looked at the scene unfolding before them. The Haunted had always openly attacked _them_— why did they fear this petite, temperate woman so much? They fled from her as if she were the most terrifying monster in this place, which was a baffling act in itself.

"There's more of them coming!"

Joseph's warning alerted Ama to the presence of more Haunted, and her jaw clenched as she jerked her head to gaze upwards. They were gathering at the top of the balcony now, and many of the mangled figures totted explosives or other troublesome weapons. Some even donned guns.

Feeling something grab firmly onto her shoulders, Ama winced, gasping sharply as one of the walking undead raised its ax at her. She had let down her guard by directing her attention elsewhere, and the Haunted that she had been previously holding at bay were smart enough to know that this was their chance to strike.

Raising her hand to press her palm against the monster's chest, the latter retaliated quickly, grabbing onto her arms and shrieking fiercely as it held the woman at bay. It seemed to be aware of what she was capable of, because it didn't seem too inclined to let her touch any part of its figure.

A shot to the shoulder unbalanced the Haunted, and it let out a terrible sound, its ax falling to the ground after managing to barely graze the woman's shoulder. Ama stumbled back once she was free, and her chest heaved as she stared at the struggling figure that now lay on the ground.

Regaining her bearings, the feminine program swallowed, her hand flitting up to her shoulder that was now leaking blood. She picked her way carefully over to the struggling creature, and tentatively, she knelt down beside it. Its blank and beady eyes stared up at her, and it flailed its arms and legs, beginning to struggle in order to get back on its feet.

"Forgive me," She murmured gently, pressing her hand against the head of the Haunted.

It cried out, writhing violently beneath her touch. Its skin began to crackle and threatened to set ablaze, but before it could meet such a gruesome end, its body began to disperse into small fragments of light. These particles disintegrated then, and the wailing of the corrupted being steadily dwindled as it slowly but surely disappeared.

"Look out, they've got dynamite!" Sebastian warned her, and she rose from her kneeling position, cradling her injured shoulder as she faced the oncoming hoard. Sure enough, the erratic sparks bouncing from the wick of a piece of dynamite stood out plain as day against the shadowy backdrop, and the Haunted that carried it made a bee-line straight for her.

"Ama, move!" Joseph called, desperately waving his arm as he signaled for her to get out of the blasting zone. But she stood firm, unwavering even, as she stared down the enemy gently. Her gaze was soft, and she held a hand out towards the creature, as if bidding it to come to the light. The fuse on the stick of dynamite hissed as it withered away, and the shouts of her allies were all but lost to her.

"Don't be a hero! Get away from that thing!" Sebastian shouted, but still yet, Ama remained stationary.

From the shadows of this world, Ruvik shifted, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly. Perhaps she had grown weary of her life and was willingly forfeiting it? He could think of no other explanation as to why she would so blatantly put herself in harm's way. It didn't make sense.

In his earlier tampering with her, he had hypothesized that her amygdala was in proper working order, but perhaps his assumption had been erroneous. Her fear conditioning and startle circuit had proved to be operational at that moment in time, meaning that her fight or flight instinct was fully functioning. But yet here she stood, seemingly content to throw all of that away.

"I'm sorry this happened to you." Her voice was unmistakably genuine, and it was laced with sympathy. The Haunted charged towards her, explosive in hand, and she smiled sadly at it.

"I know that you were human once, and I would like to believe that the person you once were is still in there somewhere. This darkness, this malice that consumes this world, has turned you into what you are now. But I will not treat you as a monster."

She spoke to the Haunted, but her eyes bore into the shadows that concealed the mastermind behind STEM. She was staring straight at him.

"You merely lost your way. You fell into darkness because there was no one to show you the light. And for that, I am eternally sorry."

"AMA!" Sebastian's howl sounded distant, his voice interlaced with fear for her well being. She held out her hand, waiting to purify the Haunted and to release it from this place. The burning wick atop the dynamite was mere seconds away from reaching its end. Both detectives scrambled to load their guns— to shoot down the enemy before it blew her into bits.

But then the spark was extinguished, and the explosion never came.

Ama's eyes stretched wide, and Sebastian fired a shot off from his handgun, staggering the Haunted and forcing it to stumble forward into the female's touch. It howled, reeling back and writhing as it too disintegrated into a soft, radiant luminosity.

Her chest heaved, and she stared down at the wick that had previously been lit. The charred stem had not but a few centimeters left before it activated the explosive, and she would have surely suffered from the blast. But it was damage she had been willing to take for the sake of purifying the creature before it met some other gruesome and agonizing end.

Kneeling down next to the explosive as Joseph and Sebastian fired off round after round at the hoard of Haunted, Ama gently picked up the stick of dynamite in her hands, examining it closely. There was no sign of foul play— the wick had not been doused in any manner or fashion, which would have effectively snuffed out the fuse. The stem seemed to be in proper working order; a mere second more and it would have exploded. She could find no visible evidence of any tampering, leaving her entirely baffled as to why the burning flame would just suddenly suffocate itself like that. So had she been spared by sheer luck?

Things like that didn't just happen in this place. Especially not since everything in this world was operated by—

Sucking in a sharp breath, she whirled around, her glacial blue eyes tracking the movement of a figure in the gloom. She exhaled tremulously then, her heart clenching. Not from pain, but from a foreign emotion she could not quite place. Was it gratitude? Astonishment? She wasn't entirely certain.

She took a few steps forward, her movements ginger and tentative. But his presence vanished mere moments later, and she gripped the stick of dynamite, her long lashes fluttering as she directed her gaze downwards. She knew better than to think he was completely gone, though. He might not be in the immediate area now, but he was always watching.

"Sebastian!" She turned then, tossing him the stick of dynamite, which he caught in his hands with ease. His eyes lingered on her expression for a moment as he produced a match from his back pocket, striking it against the hard surface of the box until it caught ablaze.

"It'll be a quick death." He promised her, turning towards the hoard as he lit the withered wick, hurling it across the room as quickly as he could. The split second it landed, it exploded, eliminating the remaining Haunted in the area. Blood splattered on the walls and flooring, and Ama cringed at the gruesome remains of the now charred corpses. While it was more humane to blow them to bits quickly rather then pump them full of holes via a gun, she still didn't like it.

Turning to face Kidman, Ama paced up to her, her features immediately melting into that of worry as she pressed her hands against the glass. The brunette detective met her gaze, and there was something odd about the way she stared down at the darker haired female. Ama quickly dismissed it, though.

"Joseph, Sebastian." She called out to them, pointing to the dual dials that were fastened onto the tank, "There should be another control panel around here."

Joseph was the first to step up to the dials, his keen eyes swiftly scanning them over. It was impossible to open with just these two locks, and the trio knew it.

"Where do these cables go?" Sebastian demanded quickly, and Ama lifted her gaze, staring up at the pipe line that pumped the water into Kidman's tank. She traced it back to an area above them, and hurriedly, she pointed to the door at the opposite end of them that would lead the way back up to where the other control panel was likely located.

"That way. Make haste!" She urged him gently. Sebastian didn't need to be told twice, and he took off as quickly as he could, sliding another clip into his gun as he made his way around. There were more Haunted bound in cells, and some of them broke free of their prisons as he hurried through the area.

"I don't have time for you all..." He grumbled under his breath, his jaw clenched tightly as he sprinted past them, shoving them harshly in an attempt to throw their balance. An explosion sounded somewhere behind him, and he assumed that one of the Haunted hadn't realized that the explosive he carried needed to be exposed of _before _ it detonated.

Dashing up to the control panel, Joseph's voice carried over to Sebastian as he instructed the latter on which numbers to set the combination to. With the tension mounting, the detective set the numbers on the dial to the correct sequence, and a loud buzz immediately alerted him that the water flow had been cut off.

The door to the glass prison that Kidman had been trapped in swung open, and she spiraled out along with a wave of water that guided her none too gently to the ground. Joseph knelt beside her, and the ends of Ama's dress grew soaked as she approached the female as well.

"Are you alright?" Joseph inquired in a concerned manner, and the drenched woman coughed several times before she mustered out a confirmation of her well being. The blue eyed program rested her hand tentatively on the other woman's back, helping to steady her as she regained her breath about her.

A sizzling, crackling sound akin to that of something burning warranted all of their collective attention, and each individual directed their gaze to the strange symbol ingraining itself into the flooring. Without warning, the ground around their immediate vicinity crumbled and gave way, and all but Sebastian fell into the depths.

Again, Ama's world was thrown into an ever changing kaleidoscope as she phased through walls and corridors, eventually rolling on solid ground as she landed. She gritted her teeth together, her small frame aching from the forceful impact as she slowly pushed herself up onto her elbows.

"Jospeh? Kidman? Sebastian?" She called out their names reflexively, even though the silence that surrounded her told her that she was on her own once more. Why had she been separated during their fall?

Standing up on her own two feet, albeit in a fairly shaky manner, she coughed a bit and dusted the debris off of her raiment. By now, her previously flowing gown lay in partial tatters, and the simple, flowered headdress that she had previously donned had been lost. Her hair streamed down a few inches past her waist, but it was rumpled in places from the fall.

Smoothing her fingers through the silken locks, she sighed, her eyes sweeping over her surroundings. She knew she needed to be more careful now. She was letting her emotions get the best of her. She had been designed to prevent Ruvik from hindering the progression of STEM, which meant she needed to cleanse the Haunted. But when it came to flat out combat with them, she shied away from it. Her desire was not to bring harm to others. She merely wished to set them free from this place, not shoot them down or blow them to bits with dynamite.

But the Haunted didn't share in her empathy— the bloodied skin of her shoulder could attest to that.

They were out to kill her, and she knew now that she needed to take that into more sincere consideration. If she didn't, then she would not last much longer in this place.

Picking her way carefully down the dim corridor, her eyes skimmed through the shadows, her ears on high alert for any alteration in the environment around her. A wet squelching noise drew her attention, and she peered downwards, catching sight of her own reflection in a crimson, sticky liquid.

The entirety of the floor was covered in a layer of blood at least an inch thick, and she sighed softly, picking up the edges of her dress in an attempt to keep it from dragging through the grotesque liquid. Not that it mattered, she supposed, considering that her attire was far from salvageable at this point.

Taking it slowly, Ama picked her way down the hallway, finding it to be eerily silent. She wasn't under the impression that she was alone, however. She was never alone in this place.

Every so often she would stumble upon an unmoving body— a fallen Haunted— and she knelt down next to it, frowning in a mournful manner as she pressed her hand gently to their forms. They dissolved into scintillating shards, and once they had fully dissipated, she would tentatively continue her exploration of her decrepit surroundings.

But as she progressed, a steady pulsation began to take root in the back of her skull. The feeling spread throughout her entire being, settling in her chest cavity where it seemed to assault her heart. She knew this feeling, and what warranted it.

It took him only a mere second to appear. The door closest to her flung open, and she startled at the abrupt, loud noise. Her eyes swung to him, and his white coat swayed as he approached her with that ever so confident gait of his.

"Afraid?" Ruvik asked dryly, his lips tilting ever so slightly up at the corners in a humorless smirk. She exhaled slightly, her hand fluttering down from her chest. She had instinctively risen it to cover her heart when he had surprised her, but now it fell to rest by her side once more.

"No," She swallowed, her lips parting as she regained her bearings about her, "You just startled me. Loud, slamming doors tend to do that to someone."

She knew putting distance between them was the wiser option, but just like before, she remained rooted in her place. She refused to run from him.

"You are aware of my presence at all times. You can see me when the others cannot. Why is that?" He demanded, his silken voice calm and collected, though he skipped right to the point. It would seem that he was not one to beat around the bush when it came to collecting information that he desired to know, which is why she assumed he had come here. If he had revealed his presence with the intentions of disposing of her, then she had confidence he would have laid waste to her already.

Something was holding him at bay. Now, whether or not it was this apparent curiosity of his, she could not tell. But whatever it was, she was grateful for it, because it was currently prolonging her life. That is, if you could even _call _it such.

The inquiry was so sudden that it caught Ama off guard, and her breath caught in her throat as his suffocating stare bore into her very soul. His eyes, so pale in color, looked almost transparent as they gazed at her. His glance was so scrutinizing— so analyzing and prodding that she felt as if he were peeling her apart layer by layer in order to get a glimpse at her interior; her inner workings and what made her tick.

There was no mercy in his gaze. Not a single trace of light remained in his silver glare, and all hints of clemency had long since departed. But she met his stare head on, and in turn, her wintry blue eyes were soft, tame and tender. There was compassion that warmed her features— a light that would not be put out.

"I am a part of you, thanks to Dr. Jimenez. I know where you are at all times, just as you know where I am at all times." She replied patiently, her tone soft as always. He paced closer to her, his steps slow and thoughtful.

"Just because you are out of sight, does not make you out of mind." She continued tenderly, and his gaze suddenly became far more intense. His body became rigid, and something flickered in his gaze— something she could not decipher, but it sent a chill down her spine.

"What did you say?"

His voice sounded threatening now. It had changed almost instantaneously, and Ama's heart sunk to her toes. What had she done wrong? What had she said to warrant such a change in atmosphere?

His change in demeanor was frightening, but she was far too numb to flee. Her feet seemed glued to the bloody floor, and a part of her was glad she didn't have the will to retreat. Because then she would be like all the others— all of those who thought him a monster, and who had pushed him away.

Swallowing the building lump in her throat, Ama squared her shoulders, inhaling steadily as she drew up every ounce of bravery she could muster. He was dangerously close to her now, and his eyes boasted a cold, fearsome stare.

"I said..." Her resolve wavered for a brief moment, and she pursed her lips, clenching her hands at her side as her heart pounded and her pulse roared in her ears, "I said that just because you are out of sight, does not make you out of mind, _Ruben Victoriano." _

He stopped then, mere inches away from her. He seemed rattled; both dazed and perplexed, and the daring program took that as her opportunity to continue.

"I know of your suffering, Ruvik. Of your pain, and your darkness. I've seen it. Because I am a part of you now, I feel it as my own."

She was pushing her luck, but she had to try and make it through to him. Perhaps he was beyond the point of registering any kindness or compassion, but she still had to try. Somewhere, deep down in that black hole that he called a heart, she had to believe that there was at least a sliver of humanity left. Because revenge, which is what his mind thrived upon, was almost always born from the act of losing something one cared about. And caring for something required compassion— feelings other than ill will and hatred. Feelings she _knew_ he had possessed at one point.

She knew of his past— what he had endured. She knew of his father's heartless and cruel actions, of the fire that had torn his family apart and left him grievously marred, the same blaze that had claimed the life of his beloved sister. She, who had been the only one who had understood him. She was aware of the steady madness that had overtaken his mind as he spent countless years locked down in the basement of his own home, forced into hiding by his own father. The human mind was a fragile thing, and often times, many underestimated the long-term damage that even the smallest event could imprint upon it.

Ruben Victoriano had been traumatized at a young age, and rather than attempt to recover the child's fractured sense of reality, his father had merely worsened his condition. Combined with the betrayal of Dr. Jimenez, and it was no wonder that the scarred man was acting so negatively towards them all. Did that justify his actions? Certainly not, but she could at least understand the root behind his motives.

"You know nothing about me." His voice was clipped, yet still collected. He raised his hand, pressing it against her chest, and suddenly she was sent hurtling towards the back wall. Her body slammed into the sturdy structure, effectively winding her as she wheezed out a chestful of air.

Her frame remained pinned to the wall by his telekinetic abilities, and she struggled to breathe as he increased the pressure, further pushing her figure against the rough surface. It felt as if she were about to be crushed from head to toe, and she swore she heard a rib or two crack within her chest. She was too caught off guard to attempt to glitch away; not that she probably could, considering Ruvik had a way with disabling her abilities.

"You know nothing of my pain nor suffering," He said decidedly, though his voice was a bit thinner, and she groaned as blood began to trickle past her lips. If he applied any more pressure, he would kill her. Here and now, he had the chance to dispose of this pesky program and rid himself of her intolerable radiance.

A rush of air suddenly flooded her lungs, and she gasped, sucking in the oxygen greedily as her body slumped down to the ground. She lay in a puddle of blood, her arm winding around her chest as she flinched upon feeling a sharp pain. It was silent for a long moment, and exhaustion hung heavily over her. For a moment, she thought that Ruvik might have teleported elsewhere, but the soft pattering of approaching bare feet against the bloodied floor told her otherwise.

"You're bleeding." The statement was odd, and quite the jump in conversational topics considering the fact that he had nearly killed her mere seconds ago. Her mind reeled to catch up, and she leaned her head back against the wall, her blurred vision catching sight of a fogged image of white. His face came into view, and she couldn't read his expression.

"I beg your pardon?" She murmured, and even despite her pained state, her tone was still polite. A scarred hand darted beneath her chin, tilting it up so that she was forced to meet his inquisitive and analytical gaze.

"Jimenez devised you as nothing more than a mere program. Why can you bleed? Why are you capable of feeling pain and emotions? As a matter of fact, you should not even have a physical body." His hand left her chin, flitting up to her forehead, which he pressed on. Her eyes fluttered closed for a brief moment, and she resisted the urge to cringe as her head pulsated fiercely.

She knew that if he had his way, he would dissect every part of her in his attempt to find the answers he was seeking.

"Theoretically speaking, even if you were by chance to take on an anthropoid form once implemented into my brain, you would lack the conventional elements of a human being. You are far too intricate for this form of yours to be a contingent phenomenon."

His words sounded distant and far away as the world around her seemed to fade in and out. Black began to ebb onto the edges of her vision, and her lashes fluttered as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

"Is that why you spared me?" Her voice was a faint whisper, but it caught his attention nonetheless. She looked to him, her eyes gentle as always.

"Twice you have spared my life now, when you had the capability to end it each time. Is it because you are merely curious? Is this all a game to you?" She wanted to know. Why was he bringing her such pain, only to spare her in the end and leave her to roam this dreadful place even further? Why did he not just finish her off if he loathed her so fervently?

A calloused, marred touch pressed carefully into her cheek then, and Ruvik's finger lightly prodded the flesh. It was as if he were examining it; fascinated by its porcelain hue and its silken quality, as well as the natural warmth that it emitted. But then his fingertips painfully pressed into her jawline, and she inhaled sharply.

"You did not answer my question." His tone hadn't altered in any way, but she could tell that he was growing impatient. She could _feel _it.

"I don't know." She whispered, her eyes closing as she heaved a quivering sigh, "In all honesty, I don't know why I was given this form. I don't know why I can feel such emotions, nor why I can feel pain. The only thing I know is that Dr. Jimenez created me to try and regain control over STEM and to cleanse all of this darkness that you have created."

His touch feathered away then, and a cold chill swept over her skin that forced her to shudder. Ruvik paused, noting the quivering movement, which he immediately interpreted as a negative reaction to him.

"You think I'm some kind of monster, don't you?" He cocked his head to the side, his eyes cold and heartless. She met his stare patiently then, her eyes softening.

"No."

Footsteps down the hall alerted the two to another presence, and Ama lifted her head, catching sight of the distant glow of a lantern. The footfall was heavy and paced, and a small sound identified the approaching figure as male. She knew this presence; she recognized the minuscule details about it.

_Sebastian._

Before she could call out his name, Ruvik had edged away from her and turned his back to her, and in the blink of an eye, her surroundings were once more altered. But rather than falling this time and landing harshly against flat ground, she found her journey pleasant cushioned, and an abrupt warmth brushed against her skin.

Squinting a bit against the dramatic change in lighting, Ama raised a hand above her eyes, tilting her head up to peer at the vibrant sunset that hung just over the horizon. The daylight was almost unbearably dazzling in comparison to the dark corridor she had previously been in, but as her pupils fluctuated to accommodate the change in illumination, a slow breath brushed past her lips.

She rose to her feet slowly, and to her pleasant surprise, she found that there was no longer pools of blood beneath her. Rather, soft and flourishing grass pressed against her toes, and she curled them, smiling ever so softly to herself. A slight breeze ruffled her hair, and she closed her eyes, simply allowing herself a moment to revel in the feeling of it.

Mountains loomed in the distance and boulders surrounded her, and small, delicate wildflowers blossomed near the rocks. There was a worn-down brick structure in the distance, but she was content not to progress so quickly. She wanted to truly absorb this moment— this rare place of beauty that lay within this world of shadows.

The flapping of wings and a sharp cawing resounded above her, and Ama craned her head back, her smile growing as she watched a crow spread its wings and take flight. Happiness dotted her features now, and her lips spread wide as her lips now boasted a jubilant grin. Her previous encounter with Ruvik that had transpired mere moments ago seemed to steadily fade into the background of her consciousness, for she was completely allured by the sights before her.

"Enjoying the scenery?" The question caused her to turn, and she smiled at Sebastian, who had seemingly been transported here as well. There was a slight, amused smile that lingered on the edges of his lips, for he too seemed a bit less tense due to the pleasant change in surroundings. Ama grinned even more vibrantly at him then, her eyes practically shining.

"I am." She breathed, absolutely exhilarated by the warm caress of sunlight. She was a program that had been born into the mind of Ruvik— most of what she had known was darkness. She had never felt the light of the sun upon her flesh before. At least, not to this degree. In fact, she had never felt or seen many things, and it saddened her in a way to know that she likely never would.

All of the pain that Ruvik had caused her earlier seemed to have vanished by now. Whether she had pushed it to the back of her mind, or it was simply overruled by her joyous attitude at the moment, she wasn't sure.

"Well, come on. I'm afraid we can't afford to linger." Sebastian hated to ruin her fun, especially as he watched her trot over to a patch of wildflowers, delicately kneeling beside them. A slight pout overtook her smile, and she tilted her head up to the dark haired male, her eyes wide and innocent.

"Must we progress so soon, Detective? May we not stay here for just a little bit longer?" She asked, and he was briefly disarmed by the pleading look in her eyes. He opened his mouth, attempting to find the words to deny her request, but his throat felt dry as those softened pools of blue stared ever so kindly at him.

"Fine, but only for a few mintues." He eventually relented, waving his hand dismissively at her as he sunk down onto the ground, grunting as every bone in his body seemed to ache with the effort. Her expression lit up as if he had just given her everything she had ever dreamed of, and she darted over to him, cupping his face as she pressed an endearing kiss to his forehead.

"Thank you, Detective. Thank you!" She gushed, throwing her arms briefly around his neck in a surprise hug, which in turn earned a bit of a chuckle from him. How could a woman so mature and sophisticated be so child-like and pure at the same time? He wasn't going to question it though, and the sheer wonder and delight that filled her eyes with a glint of pureness reminded him so very much of his beloved daughter. His precious little girl that had been taken from him; stolen away by flames.

He watched her practically dance her way over to the wildflowers, directing her attention back to them once more. She brushed her fingers against them, fascinated by the velvety feel of their petals, before she leaned in to sample their scent. Sebastian feared that if she grinned any wider, she would split her cheeks in twain. But the sight was enough to warrant a quiet laugh from him; a sound he hadn't emitted in a long, long time.

She whirled in the field, laughing in sheer delight as the grass tickled her toes and the heels of her feet. Her dress fluttered and swirled with her as she darted to and fro, her hair gleaming like molten dark chocolate beneath the blaze-like hues of the sunset. Her blue eyes were alight with glee and enchantment, and if Sebastian didn't know any better, he would have thought that the vivid light of the sun pursued her with every step she took.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" She enthused, turning her eyes to him. She had her back facing the sun, and the sunset illuminated the edges of her figure, making it seem as if she herself burned with a breath-taking glow. He grunted, tucking his head down in a faint nod of agreement.

He wouldn't exactly describe this place as _beautiful; _was it better than the previous areas? Most certainly. But she seemed to be enraptured by their simple surroundings, and there was something charming about that. He could appreciate someone who held the plain things in reverence. And besides, he wouldn't deny that it was a nice change in pace as opposed to the dark, somber and bloodied areas he had been trapped in before.

She giggled at him, clasping her hands behind her back as she turned to face face the sun. She tilted her chin up, basking in the warmth as the gentle breeze ruffled her hair and brushed against her features once more. Sebastian watched her simply drown in her surroundings, before he sighed beneath his breath, grunting a bit as he slowly rose back to his feet.

"Come on, we should get moving." He called out to her. She paused then, her lashes fluttering as she opened her eyes once more, snapping out of her dream-like state. Craning her head to glance at him over her shoulder, her gaze softened and she smiled in an understanding fashion.

"Of course, Detective." She agreed, picking her way back over to him. Almost instinctively, he held his arm out to her, and she beamed at him, placing her hand in the crook of his arm. He guided her down the dirt pathway then as she walked alongside him, their destination the crumbled structure in the distance.

They talked amongst themselves on their way, both seemingly content to enjoy this brief period of peace. But as they walked, a figure stood ever so watchful on the ledge above them, watching their dual forms begin to fade into the distance.

Neither the warmth of the sun nor the whispering breeze could touch his marred skin, but still yet, an odd feeling had kindled within him as he had watched Ama dance and bound about so heartily beneath the sunset. Her expression still boasted an air of exuberance, and the flowers seemed to crane towards her direction as she passed by them, almost longing of her natural light.

And for a fleeting moment, he too felt a fervent longing to feel such warmth once more. But he tucked his head down then, his resolve hardening as he paced forward a few steps before abruptly disappearing from the area.

It was unfortunate that she had been dragged into this, but he would spare no one from his vengeance. Not even she who seemed to kindle the sun itself.

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><p><strong>[AN: Oh my gosh you guys, I'm literally floored by all the support and lovely reviews you guys have been leaving. Truly, I'm so very flattered. I didn't expect this story to gain much attention, but it's certainly humbling to know that you guys enjoy my writing. To all the guests on this site who reviewed— I wish I knew a username so that I could thank each one of you individually, but I'll just collectively say: thank you so, so very much! My goodness, I don't think I deserve all this praise, but thank you again! Your input means a lot to me! **

**Aizawa Mei: You're so very sweet, thank you so much! I really appreciate your kind words, and I will do my very best to make sure that the characters stay in character! It means so much to me, and it's truly very flattering, that you have faith that I'll be able to do as such! Thank you again, truly! **

**And to Iamkatieisme; thank you for your review as well! Forgive me in advance, but I'm about to gush because of your kind words. I know you also write a Ruvik x OC story on here, and I want you to know that I've read it, and I adore it! Keep up your phenomenal work with your story, it's definitely a great one! Oh gosh, I don't know if I'm a hero, but that's so very sweet of you to say! Honestly, I'm blushing under all this praise, haha. Ah yes— Ruvik is an intelligent character, and I'd feel pretty bad if I didn't manage to portray him as such. Which means I have my research cut out for me each time I play this dude! ^^; Again, thank you so very much for the review, and I wish you the best of luck with your story! I'm not sure how I could help with it, but if you ever do need assistance, it would be my absolute honor to help a writer such as yourself in any way I could. ^^ **

**Alright, alright, enough of my rambling. I'll try not to drown you guys in my thanks, though I truly do mean them. At any rate, as always— I hope you enjoy this chapter, and that I can continue to please in future ones! And a shout out to Iamkatieisme's fic, check it out you guys, it's great!]**


	5. To Be Human

_**Chapter IV: To Be Human**_

"**I'm not in search of sanctity, sacredness, purity; these things are found after this life, not in this life. But in this life I search to be completely human: to feel, to give, to take, to laugh, to get lost, to be found, to dance, to love and to lust, to be so human."** — C. JoyBell

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><p>Ama walked alongside Sebastian, her hand nestled in the crook of the senior detective's arm as they picked their way down the winding path of dirt. The rustling of the trees and flora around them served to soothe Ama's nerves, and she smiled softly to herself.<p>

Although this place might not be the most vibrant of areas, the lasting warmth of sunlight pressing against her porcelain flesh proved to her one thing: that there was at least a sliver of Ruben Victoriano's mind that had not been twisted and disfigured with hatred.

This scenic expanse of towering ridges and sloping hillsides was a nice change of pace in comparison to the ordinary, blood-splattered walls of infirmaries and hospitals. And although Haunted and other contorted creatures were lurking around potentially any corner— which she knew they were— it was still pleasant.

"Detective, may I ask you a private question?" Ama began tentatively, effectively breaking the silence and drawing the seasoned investigator's attention. He peered down at her shorter figure out of the corner of his eye, and she cocked her chin up, meeting his stare with an innocent, inquisitive one of her own.

"It depends," He rumbled, his feet shuffling onwards as they continued down their path. Hesitancy rolled off of him in waves, and being the perceptive program she was, Ama easily picked up on such.

For a reason that remained unknown to her, Jimenez had decided to construct her with a fully operative range of emotions. But more so than anything, her ability to express empathy and sympathize with the feelings of those around her was remarkably honed. She was incredibly in tune with their moods and the ambiance surrounding her, and was able to adapt and adjust to it all, as well as generate her own emotional response to each unique situation.

She had no idea _why _she had been gifted with such human-like qualities, and she wasn't sure if she even enjoyed possessing them in the long run. To be able to understand and connect with another individual was wonderful, most certainly— but she was just a program, and sometimes, she forgot that. All of these emotions; all of these feelings and sensations— they made her feel _human_. And that was simultaneously the most wondrous and equally crippling thing to her. Because no matter how human she felt, she would never truly be one.

"What's the most wonderful experience you've ever undergone?"

Her question caught Sebastian a bit off guard, and he eyed her in an almost wary manner. He couldn't place why she would ask such a thing, but she smiled gingerly up at him, her gaze patient as always. There was, however, a new and genuine flicker of curiosity taking root in her eyes, and he was losing the will to leave her question unanswered. Somehow she managed to pluck at the detective's heartstrings, and he wasn't sure if he liked that about her or not. It was beginning to grow a bit unnerving— this ability of hers to overcome his barriers.

"That's an...odd question," He rumbled, directing his gaze forward once more as the sun rained down upon their backs, leaving a comforting trail of warmth down the length of their spines. They had nearly reached the crumbled brick structure now.

"Why are you asking?" He questioned. Ama's gaze softened then, and she tucked her head down, directing her tender smile at the ground.

"Just curious." She murmured, though there was an air of mystery to her tone that didn't fool Sebastian. He wasn't buying her innocent dismissal, but she seemed determined to pry this answer out of him. The question as to where this odd curiosity stemmed from certainly crossed his mind, but he didn't voice it.

After staring at her in both confusion and questioning, he stumbled upon the abrupt realization that she was still waiting for his answer. Her doe-like eyes were studying him, gazing expectantly up into his features as she awaited his response. The detective cleared his throat then, racking his brain for what he would deem "the most wonderful experience he had ever undergone."

He didn't have to mull over his answer for very long.

"Marrying my wife, and having a child together with her." He responded, his reply terse in a manner of speaking. It wasn't often that he spoke of this matter— not since the death of Lily and the disappearance of Myra. Rather than confronting the matter, he was often seen abusing his current coping method: alcohol.

Speaking of the loved ones he had lost brought an unexpected ache that settled in the deepest pit of his chest, and he attempted to stifle the harsh bite of grief that clawed at his heart.

Picking up on his sudden change in demeanor, Ama knew she needed to tread carefully now. She was inexplicably aware of his churning emotions, and therefore approached the topic more gingerly, careful to remain considerate of the detective's own personal feelings. Her curiosity came second here; it was not her intention to remind him of unwanted memories.

"That sounds wonderful." She sighed wistfully, and she felt Sebastian tense briefly. Peeking up at him, she could see something flicker in his eyes, and she would even go as far as to describe it as an unadulterated longing. But what for?

"Yeah. It was."

_Oh._

What was the proper response in this particular situation? Would words soothe the open wound, or would it merely pour salt in it? Was he better comforted by silence or consolation? Picking up on facial cues and emotional shifts was one thing, but weighing which proceeding response would best soothe the dismayed individual was another. In the long run, Detective Sebastian Castellanos remained much of a mystery to her in that aspect.

Rather than sputter out the generic apology in a hasty attempt to solace him, she curled her fingers more firmly against the crook of his arm, holding it a bit more noticeably. She gave it a comforting squeeze, and judging by the sudden yet barely audible exhalation she detected on his behalf, she knew he had felt it.

"Thank you for answering my question, Detective." She sounded genuinely grateful, and Sebastian grunted. She smiled faintly then, seeming to have grown accustomed to this generic response of his.

Upon reaching the collapsed brick structure, Ama allowed her hand to drop from the crook of Sebastian's arm in favor of fluttering back down to her side. She approached the building— though at this point it looked more like a pile of fragmented bricks than anything else— and picked her way carefully inside.

"Search around a bit. Perhaps you might uncover a bit of ammunition." She advised him amiably, and he heeded her advice, stuffing a few more bullets into his handgun after having discovered the discarded ammo beneath a pile of broken crates.

"Where do you think this spare ammo comes from?" He questioned, and Ama paused, pondering briefly over her response as she tilted her head up, peering at the upper level of the brick structure.

"If I had to guess, I think its plausible to speculate that these bullets and other weapons of choice were left behind by the Haunted. They probably used them in an attempt to defend themselves before they turned." She murmured, her blue eyes glimmering beneath a ray of sunlight that filtered in through a collapsed wall.

"You keep calling them that. Haunted. What are those things, exactly? And why are you capable of...doing whatever it is you do to them?" He turned to face her now, and she cringed slightly. She supposed his questions were inevitable, considering that it wasn't everyday you saw some mangled corpse chasing after you, much less some woman who could send them away with a mere touch, or sometimes even just her presence alone. All of this was surely befuddling to him, and she knew he deserved answers.

But the question was, would Dr. Jimenez want her to enlighten this man?

"Ama." He pressed further, and she paused, fiddling with the sides of her dress as she spun to face him. Her lips parted, though her throat felt dry. His gaze was unwavering, demanding even, and she puffed out a slow sigh.

"The Haunted used to be people, just like you." She murmured, and his eyes narrowed a bit, his brow creasing together.

"You mean, like _us?" _He corrected her, and her breath hitched. She avoided his gaze as a spring-like zephyr caught her gown and hair and caused it to ripple elegantly, resulting in the muffled sound of rippling fabric. Likewise, a few strands of Sebastian's dark hued hair were plucked free from their normal slicked back position by the breeze, and they fluttered against his cheekbones and near his eyes, though the slight obscuration of them did nothing to lessen the intensity of his stare.

She met his gaze for a fleeting moment, her expression exuding uncertainty and doubt. Was it truly okay to inform him of where he truly was, and just what was going on here? What would be the consequences of such a revelation, and how would he cope with the jarring information? Not to mention, how would he feel knowing that he was conversing with a program that appeared to be human, but wasn't?

"Sebastian," She wet her lips, pursing them in careful thought as she inhaled tremulously, "I'm not like you. I'm not—"

Her words were cleaved abruptly by the sound of gunshots. They resounded throughout the area, reverberating off of the brick walls and surrounding rocks. Her head swiveled in the direction of the sound, and her heart hammered heavily in her chest.

"Could be Jospeh or Kidman. Come on, we need to hurry." Heavy footsteps pressed against the wooden staircase situated against the opposite wall— the aged steps creaking and groaning beneath the pressure— as the senior detective brushed past her, his hand grappling for the handgun that he carried in a holster bound securely to his waistline.

Releasing a breath she hadn't been aware she was holding as she hurried up the stairs after him, Ama briefly wondered if there truly _was_ such a thing as luck in this place. This ominous interruption had spared her from having to break the news to the somber detective that he was living in someone else's mind at the moment, and that they were all active prey as of this very moment.

"Wait!" She cried out suddenly, picking up the edges of her frayed gown as she hurried over to the ladder he was preparing to descend. He paused then, his facial features crumpling in confusion as he stared at the steady warmth that was beginning to overtake her cheeks.

"I insist that I go down first." She spoke, and he peered at her questioningly. At first he deemed it one of her attempts to be heroic and to sacrifice her well being in order to aid his progression, but something told him that wasn't the root behind this particular demand. It wasn't until he noticed her plucking sheepishly at her dress that he managed to piece together what was warranting such a frantic request, and he turned to face her fully, his expression that of disbelief.

"_That's_ what you're worried about at a time like this? That I'm going to look up your skirt?" He deadpanned, and a vibrant blush immediately erupted onto her fair features. She covered her face with her hands then, making a distraught noise at his crude bluntness.

"Well, you certainly didn't have to put it like that!" She groaned, and he swore that even her ears were beginning to turn a rosy red.

Resisting the urge to groan at the ridiculousness of the situation, Sebastian muttered a hasty '_you have got to be kidding me'_ beneath his breath, before he placed his hand on the flustered woman's back, ushering her towards the ladder.

"Fine, just climb down it. We don't have time to waste." The lives of his comrades could be hanging in the balance at this very moment, and he wasn't about to let one of them die because he couldn't make it down a ladder in time.

Ama scurried towards the ladder, hissing beneath her breath in a timid manner as she clambered down the rusted rungs as hurriedly as she could manage. Her gown gave her quite the trouble on the way down; the fabric sometimes snagging on rugged edges of the feeble ladder, and even tearing in some places.

"Why were you even wearing a gown in a place like this to begin with?" Sebastian grumbled as he scaled down the ladder himself, following quickly in the female program's footsteps. She opened her mouth to explain that she hadn't exactly been in control of her wardrobe, but she startled backwards when the detective's foot slipped ungracefully on a particularly unstable rung, and gravity immediately took advantage of him.

His back slammed against the dusty ground and he swore loudly, cursing his luck as the ladder groaned, toppling backwards towards him. Initially, he was unaware of the falling object given that his eyes were screwed shut in discomfort, but once he opened them and noted a rapidly approaching shadow eclipsing his figure— that was enough to warrant his attention.

By that time, Ama had already flitted to his side. She extended her hands, grounding her feet and digging her toes into the thick soil beneath her for extra anchorage. She caught one of the rungs, coiling her fingers around it tightly as she yelped beneath the excessive weight that abruptly pressed against her figure.

Her grip slackened and she stumbled backwards a bit, but before it could fall and potentially wound her, Sebastian had managed to hurry to his feet and get her out of the way. His hand clutched at her tiny waist, yanking her out of the way and allowing the cumbersome, unstable ladder to come crashing to the ground.

It hit the dirt with a crushing force, kicking up dust and creating a loud, metallic sound when it slammed against the earth. The tone hung in the air, echoing for a moment as the female winced. Yes, being crushed by that certainly seemed like it would have been unpleasant. Not to mention there were sharpened, bent pieces of metal poking out here and there on it— pieces that had likely been damaged or purposefully mangled— that could have gouged her.

"Well, I guess we're even. I saved you, and you saved me. Teamwork, right?" She tried to look on the bright side, her tone optimistic, but for some reason she felt like a scolded child when Sebastian eyed her pointedly. She sighed, stepping up to his side as she carefully dusted off his striped vest, straightening it for him as well as re-alining his tie.

He stood stiff as she fussed over him, shifting a bit awkwardly as he remained unaware of how to react. He started to question her, but he quickly decided against that idea. She stepped a few paces back when he shrugged her touch politely off, warranting a blink or two on behalf of the dainty female.

"Come on, we need to hurry." There was no room for argument in his voice, and Ama nodded, glancing briefly over her shoulder at the fallen ladder. Her gaze lingered on it for a few more moments before a faint, golden gleam stuck out amongst the sparse blades of grass. Her brows creased then as she turned, her concentration ensnared by the bright gleam.

Approaching the unidentified object, she knelt down beside it, rolling the circular object in her hand before she lifted it closer in order to further examine it. It appeared to be a simple gold ring, and she turned it in her hand, batting her lashes curiously at it.

Rising back to her feet, she spun on her heels and jogged a bit in order to catch up with the detective, who had already gotten a running start.

"Detective?" She called politely just as they approached two large, wooden doors that hung beneath an archway of brick and stone. He turned towards her, his calloused palms resting against the double doors, and he eyed the object that she presented to him.

"I think you dropped this." She offered the ring to him, and he turned immediately upon realizing what it was that she was extending to him.

His wedding ring. He wore it even now— even after the disappearance of Myra. He had refused to take it off since the day she went missing. It must have snagged on the ladder and slipped from his finger in his futile attempt to regain his grip on one of the rungs. He slid the valuable band back onto the corresponding finger, sparing a grateful glance towards the petite female. She seemed to understand the simple nod he gave to her, and she knew there was more gratitude behind it than he was letting on.

She might not have understood the significance behind the object, but she could tell that it was of great importance to Sebastian, and that was all that mattered. Perhaps when they were spared another reprieve from the constant onslaught of Haunted and other monsters of varying, grotesque degrees, she would further inquire about the origin of that ring and the meaning behind it. But for now, she left the subject untouched.

He turned then, and she smiled softly to herself as he swung the doors open, allowing the two of them to pass under the aperture.

* * *

><p>Upon entering the open area, an unconscious figure immediately revealed itself to their line of sight. Joseph lay comatose, completely unmoving as Sebastian and his companion rushed to his side. Ama knelt gently beside the fallen detective, her hand ghosting across the expanse of his forehead as she pursed her lips in deep thought.<p>

It didn't feel as if he was under Ruvik's control at the moment— if he was, he would have been howling and writhing beneath her touch. But the feather-light pressure against his temples seemed to rouse him, and Ama's expression softened as her eyes ticked to Sebastian.

"He's waking up." She reassured him, and he met her gaze for a heartbeat. There was doubt in his glance, and she knew then that he had witnessed his partner turn before under the influence of Ruvik. They were all susceptible to Ruvik's control, but Joseph seemed to have the unfortunate curse of being more prone to the side effects than others.

"Is he—?" The question was hesitant, low in tone and hushed in volume to avoid alerting the stirring male of their grim choice of topic. It was a vague inquiry, but nonetheless, Ama understood.

"No," She answered comfortingly, shaking her head in an assuring manner. Jospeh would not turn on them when he awoke; at least, not at this very moment. But just to be sure, the dark haired woman scanned the surrounding area, searching for the presence she was aware of at all times.

It was a good distance away, which meant that _he _was no longer within the immediate vicinity. But he was out there somewhere, lurking in the deepest shadows of this place, and she had faith that he would show his face again soon. A cold chill swept over her at the thought, and she cringed suddenly, her hand flitting up to her head.

"Ama?" Sebastian's question was laced with concern, and the woman gritted her teeth, her features scrunching up in discomfort as her head pulsated. Her hand began to tremble, and her face visibly paled as she grappled at her silken tresses in an attempt to ease the pressure gathering in her skull.

A white, scarred face flickered across her vision, and her surroundings blurred. A tinge of red overtook her sight, and her world flickered as the sunlit outdoors began to overlap with glimpses of burning sunflowers, and the pacing figure of a cloaked man began to draw ever closer to her.

She needed to dispel this illusion, but she was finding it increasingly hard to concentrate. Her grasp on reality was spiraling out of control, and she heard him then, his voice as silky smooth as ever.

_Why can you bleed? Why are you capable of feeling pain and emotions? _

His touch ghosted across her cheek, and his pale eyes bore into the depths of her own. His burned fingertips applied more pressure, until she was certain that he would bruise her. He stared at her, and for the life of her, she could not fathom what he wanted from her.

"I don't know..." She answered his question, clawing at her head as it felt as if it were splitting open at that very moment. Blood trickled down her arm as she broke the skin with her nails, and tears welled up in her eyes as she doubled over.

_Why are you here? You are an anomaly. _

"I don't know..." She strained out, her voice devoured with agony as she ground her teeth together so harshly that they threatened to chip and crack.

_What's wrong? What's going on? _

"**Ama!" **

"**I don't know!" **She wailed, sucking in lungfuls of air as her chest heaved sporadically. In the back of her mind, a brief smirk danced across pale, scarred lips. Her eyes snapped open as she awoke, and Sebastian's blurred, worried face came into view. He was clutching onto her shoulders so tightly she feared that he would break them, and he shook her firmly in his attempt to drag her back to reality.

When he saw her previously distant eyes refocus on him, he clenched his jaw, relaxing his grip ever so slightly. Joseph was standing close to him, awake and about now, and his brows were deeply furrowed as he stared down at the female. Sweat pooled on both men's brow, a detail that she failed to notice initially.

"Ama, what the hell just happened?" Sebastian demanded, and Ama's lips parted numbly, her answer withering on her lips. She did, however, quickly become aware of the distant growling of Haunted, the likes of which had not been present before. And come to think of it— her surroundings had changed as well. They were in some sort of building now, but she had no recollection of ever entering this place.

"That's a good question," The program responded at last, her eyes wide as she sucked in a tremulous gulp of air.

"You know what happened, Seb." Joseph's voice was grim as he glanced to the senior detective, who cocked his gaze in his partner's direction with a bit of a glare. But Joseph continued, dauntless in the face of intimidation, "She turned. Don't try to deny it."

"That's bullshit. Are you saying she's just as susceptible to this stuff as we are?" Sebastian pressed, and Ama's heart suddenly clenched tightly in her chest as Joseph pushed his glasses further onto the bridge of his nose.

"You saw it with your own eyes, Seb."

"_**You were designed to combat the creatures created by my hatred, but you yourself are not equipped to resist corruption. I can pick apart every inch of you that is good and kind, and turn you against those you try to protect. You're a part of my mind, after all, and are therefore mine to do with as I please." **_

Ruvik's words hit her like a ton of bricks, effectively leaving her winded. The grim realization of what was happening steadily fell upon her, and she paled, briefly forgetting how to properly function.

Joseph was right. She had no doubt that she had turned in that moment. It would explain the sudden migraine she had acquired, and her lack of recollection as to how she had arrived in this building they were currently in.

"Sebastian," She rarely ever called him by his given name unless it was a serious matter, "I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me the truth. What happened to me just now?"

He stared her down, and she could tell he didn't want to acknowledge her request. His hesitation was explanatory in itself, and she clenched her fists then, gritting her teeth as fresh tears began to well into her eyes. It was an astoundingly complex emotional reaction from a being that was supposedly only a program, but she was far too rattled to take note of that.

"You started grabbing at your head and screaming." The investigator began with a heavy sigh, "Then your eyes got— I don't know..._darker_. Blood started spilling from your mouth, and your skin turned pale, and veins started welling up under your skin."

He certainly wasn't sparing her any gruesome details, but she had asked for the truth, and that's what she was getting. Her gaze lowered as she quivered a bit, unable to believe that she had succumbed to Ruvik's reign. Had she managed to shake his control, or had he simply released her in order to lull her into a false sense of security? He was known to torment her, so it would not surprise her in the least if the latter had been his intention.

"And was I..." She couldn't bear to think of it, but she swallowed, looking apologetically at the two men before her. Now that she scrutinized them a bit more closely, they appeared to be a bit out of breath and shaken up, as if something had attacked them. The two of them even sported new cuts that had not been present before. "Was I the one that chased you two here?"

Sebastian and Jospeh exchanged a glance, and that was the only answer she needed. She stumbled backwards and away from them then, her hand flitting up to her chest to hover near to her heart. Shame overcame her features, and her wide eyes brimmed with tears of horror. She had one mission: to purge this place of the darkness that had consumed it and to protect the STEM admissions, but Ruvik seemed to have other plans for her.

"Ama, listen to me—" Sebastian began, and she shied away from him, terrified that she might hurt him again. He glowered at her, growing steadily more frustrated. Joseph had already turned once, and he wasn't shunning him. He wasn't going to send her away for something she had no control over. Besides, they needed to get moving; the Haunted were on the prowl, and they were drawing nearer with each passing moment.

"You don't understand, Sebastian." She whispered, sweeping her hand through her hair as she lifted her teary gaze to him, her back pressing against the wall, "He won't stop. He won't ever stop. He'll always be there in my head, taunting me and corrupting me— beckoning me to him..."

"Who? This Ruvik guy? Ama, what the hell is going on?"

The door began to quake as the undead flung their bodies against it and pounded it with their fists in their attempt to break it down. Their growls were louder than ever, but they sounded worlds away to her.

Ama had meant what she said to Ruvik— she was not scared of him. Rather, she was scared of failing at her duty to protect these people and to cleanse this place of the foulness that had overtaken it. She didn't want to be converted into a being of darkness; she didn't want to be turned against Sebastian and the others. The thought of her own two hands bringing harm to them was more than she could take. She had been designed as a peaceful and docile being, and the aspect of hunting anyone down with the intentions to kill made her feel sick to her stomach.

A glass bottle suddenly came hurtling through one of the two open windows of this place, and the shrill sound of glass shattering against the flooring drew Ama's attention. Her eyes stretched wide in distress as churning flames leapt up from the spilled oil, spreading across the room in an instance. She gasped, shying away from the blaze notably as Sebastian glanced to her.

She wasn't sure what it was, but something about fire stirred a deep fear within her. It made her heart pound in her chest, and her pulse roared in her ears as he eyes remained glue to the trail of ash and flame that the busted Molotov Cocktail left behind.

"Ama?" Sebastian's voice sounded distant as he called her name for what felt like the hundredth time today, despite the fact that he stood not but a few inches from her. Her chest heaved, and she whimpered, stumbling away from the sight of the small inferno. She felt horror grip her tight, and suddenly she doubled over, groaning beneath her breath as her head pulsated with a violent force.

Oh god. It was happening again— _already._

Crackling flames obscured her vision entirely, and her body felt as if it were melting from head to toe. She screamed, her back crashing into the wall as she writhed violently. Sebastian's cursing faded into a distant backdrop as faces flickered briskly through her mind like some sort of eerie, antique film. She saw two figures in a barn, engulfed in flame and burning alive. Their pain and panic was her own, and she struggled to breathe as her lungs were gripped tight with a suffocating black smog.

The two figures that assaulted her waking consciousness were familiar to her. She knew them as Ruvik and Laura, and she seemed to be reliving their tragic downfall to the barn fire— the same one that had torn their family in twain all those years ago. Did being a part of Ruvik's mind somehow make her susceptible to fire? It certainly felt as if that were the case.

"Stop..." Her voice trembled as Sebastian fired a round off at a nearby barrel containing flammable content, igniting the Haunted that surrounded it. Her body quaked, and she struggled to keep a grip on her mind. She watched him toss matches down onto the bodies that struggled to get up, and they shrieked and writhed, withering away until they were nothing charred remains.

"Stop, please!" She felt like weeping. She couldn't tell if she was pleading with Ruvik to release her from his influence, or if she was begging Sebastian to quit fueling the flames. She wasn't sure, but she did know one thing: whatever this horrible feeling was, she wanted it to stop. She felt as if she herself had been set ablaze, and was currently wasting away to nothing more than a pile of ash.

Fire encased most of the room now, and Ama was beginning to panic. She looked around in a dazed and alarmed manner, stumbling around in a disoriented fashion as she attempted to seek fresh air. Anything to rid her of this awful, asphyxiating blaze.

Her eyes locked onto a window, and everything else seemed to fade around her. Sunlight streamed through the gap in the wall, and fresh air was just a few short steps away. Behind her, she could hear someone shouting her name, but she couldn't quite place the voice. It didn't matter to her— she needed to _breathe._

"Ama, _stop!_"

The voice of the detective ripped her from her hallucination as he hauled her back, roughly yanking her away from the ledge she had been standing on. She gasped, sucking in lungfuls of air as she glance around wildly at her surroundings.

She seemed to regain her wits about her, and when she realized she had just nearly jumped from an exposed ledge, her blood ran cold. That fall would have crushed every bone in her body, if she had even been lucky enough to land on the ground below. It was likely that she would have missed it entirely and taken a much longer topple down the mountainside.

The flames had died away now, and all the Haunted lay in a charred pile. Soot decorated Sebastian's features, and he swiped at his face, attempting to clear it of the lingering grit. Jospeh's chest was heaving and he now carried an ax in his gloved hands, his eyes trained on the rattled woman.

"Sebastian, I'm—" Her voice quiet and meek, but her apology was quickly cut short as the detective held up a single hand.

"Save it. Just focus on figuring out a way to control it." His voice was gruff, and his eyes matched his tone as he hauled both himself and her through the now unlocked door that Jospeh had taken care of. They retreated then, barring the double doors once they were closed, effectively blocking off the onslaught of undead that were in hot pursuit.

"Let's rest here for a minute, we can't keep going at this pace." Sebastian breathed once he had a moment to catch his breath. He sounded winded, and Ama's own chest heaved as well.

"I don't think it's safe to linger here." Jospeh spoke up, his voice thin with exhaustion. Sebastian had already sunk down to the ground though, and he leaned his head back against a crumbled brick wall. He looked worn down and beaten, and despite the rough and tough front he put on, it was easy to see in moments like this that he was only human, and could only do so much. They all were, in fact. Well, _almost_ all of them.

"You two rest. I will stand guard." She offered, and the older of the two detectives cracked a single eye open to peer at the worn out female. She felt exhausted just as they did, and this was one of those moments where she wished desperately that Marcelo had granted her immunity to these sorts of things.

"I won't turn again, I swear to you." She whispered sorrowfully. If Ruvik attempted to regain control of her, she would fight him off. She refused to succumb to his twisted desire to see her tear apart the very people she tried to protect.

She stared long and hard at them, and the two detectives shared a look. Ama didn't wait for them to voice their agreement, and instead she turned her back to them, facing the door that rattled and quaked violently under the combined pressure of the Haunted that were attempting to force their way through.

The structure was secure enough to keep them at bay long enough for them to regain their bearings, and to take a short break that was well earned. Even if she too was enervated, she played it off as if she wasn't. She wasn't going to slack in her duties here— not even Ruvik himself would stop her from protecting these people.

Because obligations aside, it was beginning to become a matter of morals for her. She _wanted_ to see to it that their lives were guarded closely; that they escaped from this encounter unscathed. Her well being did not matter. Her "life", to put it roughly, was disposable. She had known that from the very beginning.

Besides, no matter what she did, she was likely not going to exist for much longer. Once her task was completed, it was probable that Dr. Jimenez would erase her— wipe her from existence. If her purpose had been fulfilled, what use was there in keeping her around? And on the flip side of the spectrum, if Ruvik succeeded in converting her, she would lose her consciousness and her sense of individuality. She would become a full-fledged part of him, and would no longer be recognizable as the program that she had come to be known as.

Either way you looked at it, her future was grim. She wished she could have more time, a chance to explore all the things in life that she was curious about, but she knew that was asking for too much. She was not human; her feelings were not to be taken into account.

In the end, all that mattered was that her task was completed.

* * *

><p><strong>[AN: Once again, you guys slay me with all of your support. I'm utterly gushing, thank you guys so much! I hope you all enjoy this chapter; a blend of moments that build you up just to tear you down. :D **

**Kyne's Peace: Oh my goodness, I'm beyond flattered that you would even consider me as an influencing factor when it comes to wanting to buy the game! I'm delighted to hear that you fell in love with Ama, and I hope that I can continue to portray her as a character of your interest! Indeed, I rather like the idea of a program being capable of human emotions and such as well. C: Thank you so very much for this review, and thank you for reading my story!**

**sweettea1: Oh gosh, you're going to slay with me your kind words. All of you are, I swear. Thank you so, so much! Where do I even begin? First off, I'm glad you enjoy the concept of her being his light! I've always taken fondly to the "opposites attract" philosophy and things of the sort, and I enjoy the idea of combating his darkness with light. I'm ecstatic to hear that someone shares that opinion! Also, I'm relieved to hear that I managed to balance Ama's powers. I was concerned about that, considering the very last thing I wanted to do was make her overpowered. As for your statement towards Ruvik's personality: he's a hard sucker to portray, haha! I can't tell you how relieved I am that you guys think I'm writing him in an accurate manner. Thank you so much for this review, and thank you for reading my story! I would also like to take a moment to say that your own Evil Within fic is **_**phenomenal**_**! **

**Aizawa Mei: Thank you so, so very much! It's really relieving to hear you guys say that she's balanced, and I sincerely hope I can keep her that way! Yeah, Ruvik is definitely an interesting character to portray. Oh gosh, yes. The only time he was ever even _mildly_ docile was when he was a kid, and that was pretty much only around Laura. I mean let's face it; the kid was cracking open animal skulls to dissect their brains. That's not exactly passive. ^^; Well, here's the next chapter; I hope you enjoyed it! Thank you very much for your review!**

**Guest: Oh my goodness, thank you! I'm so very flattered! Ah yes, Ruvik's madness is certainly interesting to portray, and I hope it comes across as interesting when you guys read the updates!**

**Guest: Thank you, kindly reviewer! I shall do my best! Thank you for your feedback. C:**

**Iamkatieisme: Thank you, dear! Aha, I do my best to try and make the chapters somewhat lengthy, but not overbearingly so. I'm glad to hear that it's enough to keep you busy for a while! Ohhhh~ I'm curious to hear whatever theory you have about Ama. C; Nonsense, feel free to share your theories! It doesn't matter if they're wrong; guessing is part of the fun! You're so very welcome as well, dear! I adore your story like I said. C: At any rate, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always, thank you for your review! **]


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